Trainer Aidan O’Brien continues to close in on the record number of Epsom Oaks (G1) victories of Robert Robson, whose 13th and final success in the classic came 199 years ago.
O’Brien already has 10 wins in the bank and his first string has looked for some time to be Ylang Ylang , who appeared an ideal Oaks contender when winning the Fillies’ Mile (G1) last October and finished fifth in the One Thousand Guineas (G1) on her first start of 2024.
Most of the Ballydoyle 3-year-olds have been short of their peak first time out this season and O’Brien is hopeful Ylang Ylang can step forward for the run and benefit from the step up in trip in the May 31 classic.
“Everything has gone well since Newmarket with Ylang Ylang,” said O’Brien. “She was fit going to Newmarket and has been in good form. Everyone seems happy with her. Ryan (Moore) was very confident after the Guineas she’d get a mile and a quarter so it will be interesting to see her over a mile and a half.”
Rubies Are Red is yet to get her head in front in three starts but went on many shortlists when rattling home to be second in the Lingfield Oaks Trial Fillies Stakes from a seemingly unpromising position.
O’Brien said: “Rubies Are Red ran well at Lingfield and we were delighted with her. She’s lazy at home and doesn’t show an awful lot. She looks like a filly who gets a mile and a half well.”
Dermot Weld: ‘Ezeliya has never run the trip but I think she’ll be okay’
Ezeliya has been something of a slow burner in emerging as a key contender for the classic, having come through the winter with a maiden win at Cork to her name from two starts at 2.
The Aga Khan’s daughter of Dubawi was only a 9-1 chance for the Salsabil Stakes (G3) at Navan but entered the Epsom picture when taking the measure of Purple Lily and the reopposing Caught U Looking .
That was over 1 1/4 miles but her talented dam Eziyra was good enough over a mile and a half to finish third in the 2018 Hong Kong Vase (G1) and connections appear unconcerned about her ability to stay.
Dermot Weld said: “She seems well. Epsom is an unusual track and it suits some and not others but we’re hoping she can handle it. She’s never run over this distance but I think it will be okay for her.”
Ralph Beckett Four-handed in Search of Third Oaks Success
It is now 11 years since the second of Ralph Beckett’s two Oaks victories but he has no fewer than four fillies who have played their way on to the team for this year’s classic.
During a hectic trials season, Forest Fairy took the step up from Wolverhampton maiden winner to claim a first Cheshire Oaks for Beckett, with Seaward a staying-on third.
Three days later You Got To Me might have appeared to be doing too much on the front end in the Lingfield Oaks Trial but showed a great attitude to repel all comers.
A close-up fourth in the same race, the King and Queen’s Treasure might originally have been thought of as more of a Ribblesdale Stakes (G2) filly, but the potential for ease in the ground has encouraged Beckett to bid for classic glory.
Should Epsom catch more rain, it is Seaward, who was only seventh to Ylang Ylang in last season’s Fillies’ Mile on her only previous run on soft ground, who might be the one most inconvenienced.
Beckett said: “Forest Fairy and Treasure will both enjoy juice in the ground. You Got To Me will handle it in our opinion. We will walk the track before making a decision on Seaward’s participation.”
