Savethelastdance leads a group of 11 contenders for the Betfred Oaks today as she aims to secure Aidan O’Brien’s fourth consecutive win in the prestigious Epsom Classic.
This Galileo offspring has been the favorite for the fillies’ showpiece ever since her dominant victory in the Cheshire Oaks earlier this month. She arrives at Epsom with high hopes of performing much better than her dam, Daddys Lil Darling, who had an unfortunate incident during a thunderstorm in 2017. Daddys Lil Darling bolted to the post, causing jockey Olivier Peslier to be unseated, resulting in her subsequent withdrawal from the race.
In addition to Savethelastdance, Aidan O’Brien will also field Be Happy and Red Riding Hood in his quest for an 11th Oaks victory and to maintain his dominance in this prestigious race.
John and Thady Gosden pose the biggest challenge to Savethelastdance, according to bookmakers, as they will saddle both Pretty Polly winner Running Lion and Musidora scorer Soul Sister. The latter will be ridden by Frankie Dettori in his final Oaks appearance before retirement.
Charlie Appleby’s supplementary entry, Eternal Hope, who won the Lingfield trial, will aim to provide Appleby with his first Oaks triumph. David Menuisier’s Heartache Tonight is also an intriguing contender, having finished a close fourth in the Prix Saint-Alary.
Caernarfon, who finished fourth in the 1000 Guineas under the training of Jack Channon, will now compete at a longer distance as she steps up from a mile for her first race since the Newmarket event. Richard Hannon’s Maman Joon, Andrew Balding’s Sea Of Roses, and Karl Burke’s Bright Diamond are the other contenders in the field, all set to start in the mile-and-a-half race this afternoon.
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