A field of 15 is set to go in the Investec Oaks (Eng-I) at Epsom Downs June 4, with the Henry Cecil-trained Aviate the 9-2 choice by totesport. Meantime, 10 are expected to go to the post in the Investec Coronation Cup (Eng-I) on the same program.
HRTV's coverage of "Ladies Day" from Epsom will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET/6:30 a.m. PT.
Cecil, an eight-time winner of the Oaks, also entered Timepiece, who is listed at 6-1 by totesport, the official betting partner for the Investec Derby Festival at Epsom this weekend. If either of the two Khalid Abdullah-owned 3-year-old fillies were to prevail, it would make Cecil the second most successful trainer of all-time in the 12-furlong event behind Robert Robson, who trained a dozen winners between 1802 and 1825.
Tom Queally is set to ride Aviate while Eddie Ahern is taking his position on the highly-regarded Timepiece.
Timepiece is expected to run well despite being beaten on her last two outings, while Aviate has won her last three races, including last month's Musidora Stakes (Eng-III) at York.
Marcus Tregoning, who landed the 2006 Investec Derby (Eng-I) with Sir Percy, has a tremendous chance of adding a second Epsom classic to his record with Rumoush, the 5-1 second favorite with totesport. She got the better of the colts in the listed Feilden Stakes at Newmarket in April before finishing seventh in the StanJames.com One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) at Newmarket when she started from an unfavorable draw.
Special Duty, the French-based filly that won the One Thousand Guineas on the disqualification of Jacqueline Quest, was not entered in the Oaks.
Aidan O’Brien, seeking a fourth Investec Oaks success following on from Shahtoush (1998), Imagine (2001) and Alexandrova (2006), is represented with Remember When (8-1), Awe Inspiring (25-1) and Cabaret (33-1). Stable jockey Johnny Murtagh has opted to ride the maiden Remember When, who finished a staying-on fourth last time out in the Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-I) and is a three-parts sister to Dylan Thomas, who finished a close third in the 2006 Investec Derby.
There is further Irish representation from the Jim Bolger-trained Akdarena, (8-1) who got the better of older fillies when successful in the Blue Wind Stakes (Ire-III) at Naas May 12. Bolger is no stranger to Oaks success, having saddled Jet Ski Lady for a shocking 50-1 success in 1991.
Owner Julian Richmond-Watson and trainer Ralph Beckett teamed up for an Investec Oaks victory with Look Here in 2008, and the same connections are represented this year by Ceilidh House (12-1), who finished third in the Listed Oaks Trial at Lingfield on her latest appearance.
Another Oaks-winning trainer to have a runner in 2010 is Michael Jarvis, triumphant with Eswarah in 2005. Jarvis saddles Sajjhaa (6-1), who won in her only start at Sandown on May 20 when scoring by seven lengths. Sajjhaa will be partnered by Frankie Dettori.
Snow Fairy (14-1) was supplemented at a cost of £20,000 for the Investec Oaks and will be bidding to build on her impressive success in a Listed contest at Goodwood last month. She is trained by Ed Dunlop, who sent out Ouija Board for a famous Oaks victory in 2004.
A vintage renewal of the Investec Coronation Cup sees last year’s Investec Oaks heroine Sariska (9-4) line up against Fame And Glory (11-10), who only found the outstanding Sea The Stars too strong in last year’s Investec Derby.
Sariska will be bidding to become the first Oaks winner to go on and capture the Coronation Cup since Time Charter completed the double in 1982 and 1984 respectively. Other fillies to have completed the double include legendary fillies Petite Etoile and Pretty Polly. Sariska looked in fine health as the comfortable winner of the totepool.com Middleton Stakes (Eng-II) at York last month. The 2009 Investec Oaks third and fourth, High Heeled (16-1) and Clowance (40-1), have also been declared.
Fame And Glory represents Aidan O’Brien, who has dominated the Coronation Cup in recent seasons, recording victories with Yeats (2005), Scorpion (2007) and Soldier Of Fortune (2008). Since finishing runner-up in last year’s Investec Derby, Fame and Glory has gone on to capture the Irish Derby (Ire-I) and on his latest start was the imperious seven-length winner of the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-I) at the Curragh on May 23. O’Brien also runs Dixie Music (100-1).
Other leading contenders include Godolphin’s Cavalryman (7-1), third in last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I), and Youmzain (8-1), who has finished runner-up in the last two renewals of the Investec Coronation Cup as well as the last three runnings of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Also in the field is Jukebox Jury (12-1).
