Investec Oaks - a pinstickers' guide

Check out our pinstickers' guide to Friday's Investec Oaks at Epsom; the outcome is Cystal clear!

AL NAAMAH

Cost €5,000,000 and bred to win this being a full sister to 2012 heroine Was. Has valid excuses for reappearance defeat in Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud but while she represents top connections it will take a personal best – by about a stone – for her to win for only the second time here.

BELLAJEU

Trainer Ralph Beckett knows an Investec Oaks filly when he sees one and this filly took a step forward to chase home Toujours L’Amour in the Lingfield trial last time. She’ll improve agan given a sterner test of stamina here but now needs to do so in bounds rather than gradual progress. She also became unbalanced at a crucial stage at Lingfield and that has to be a worry as she prepares to descend Tattenham Corner and cope with the camber down the most famous home straight in racing.

CRYSTAL ZVEZDA

Her career to date has been a story of significant progress and we haven’t seen the best of her yet. The Newbury trial she won in May is one of the last for the Investec Oaks but could just be the most significant this time around. Sir Michael Stoute’s charge showed a telling turn of foot to slam her rivals and heads to Epsom on the upgrade and with any amount of improvement still in her. Throw cast-iron stamina into the mix too and what’s not to like?

DIAMONDSANDRUBIES

Became a live Epsom candidate when winning the Cheshire Oaks in impressive fashion. It was definitely a case of style over substance when it comes to the depth of the form there but she handled the track with aplomb and showed a neat change of gear at the business end of the race. Definitely has each-way possibilities.

FOUND

Now lost. She’s not running.

JACK NAYLOR

Beat Legatissimo in a listed race at the Curragh last year and made a very encouraging return to action when fourth behind Pleasach and Found in the Irish 1000 Guineas. She was bumped at an early stage and found herself challenging from the rear of the field but ran on in eyecatching fashion. She is bred to thrive at middle-distances and having been slow to come to hand, should improve on that return to action. Another interesting contender for Ireland.

JAZZI TOP

The choice of Frankie Dettori from the John Gosden pair but even her big race partner admits to having stamina concerns. They’re easy to understand as she has plenty of toe as displayed when landing the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket last time. Her pedigree doesn’t suggest she wants to be going much further than ten furlongs too but if the petrol gauge doesn’t read empty on the climb to the line then she has potential.

LADY OF DUBAI

Booked her place in the field with a striking victory in the Bibendum Height Of Fashion Stakes at Goodwood. That was another improved performance from a most progressive filly but it’s going to take another significant personal best to land this. Not impossible she’ll post one though.

LEGATISSIMO

Favourite for this ever since her victory in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas and bred to be a middle-distance filly, hailing from the family of Fame And Glory. She’s thrived this spring and potentially hasn’t stopped improving yet. Clearly a leading player.

LOCAL TIME

Enjoyed a profitable time of it at the Dubai Carnival in Meydan, winning the UAE 1000 Guineas and Derby. However there was precious little encouragement from her return to British racing when only tenth in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. She has an awful lot to prove now as a result and is readily passed over.

QUALIFY

Another Ballydoyle entry but while a sixth placed finish in the Irish 1000 Guineas was a decent effort, she appears to have a mountain to climb to shake the prinicpals up here. Perhaps a role towards the head of the field through the early stages may be her calling.

STAR OF SEVILLE

Received four pounds from the runner-up when beating Together Forever a head in the Musidora and far from certain to confirm placings here. She looked like being a more authoritative winner at York for much of the contest and whether was idling or tiring close home is the key to her chances here. Frankie Dettori clearly feels it was the latter and on pedigree he might be right.

TOGETHER FOREVER

Finished strongly in the Musidora to offer hope she’s going to stay here even if her pedigree doesn’t scream it. She’s already a Group One winner having taken last year’s Fillies’ Mile but while she may take revenge on her York conqueror, others look to be more progressive.

WEDDING VOW

Finished behind Bellajeu in the Lingfield trial but that only tells half the story. She found herself at the rear of the field in a slowly-run race and she was closing on the principals in the final furlong. She’s better than that result would indicate – but clearly needs to be.

CONCLUSION

A fascinating renewal of the Investec Oaks. Legatissimo has positively thrived this spring and already boasts Classic-winning form.

Given she’ll improve for going up to a mile-and-a-half she has an awful lot going for her – but so does CRYSTAL ZVEZDA who gets a tentative vote.

She bolted up at Newbury on her reappearance and is open to any amount of improvement. Her turn of foot could prove to be a potent weapon. Jack Naylor is respected too.