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Who is going to win The Oaks at Epsom?

Planet Sport takes a look at the runners and riders for The Oaks (4.30) on Friday June 4 at Epsom.

The Oaks is a Group One Flat race for three-year-old fillies and one of the five Classics of British horse racing.
In 2020, Aidan O'Brien's Love was piloted to victory by Ryan Moore, but will the Ballydoyle trainer be successful again this year?

The final 14 fillies have been declared for the Classic on the rollercoaster that is Epsom racecourse. Who do you fancy?

(All odds from Paddy Power, correct as 11am on Friday)

Santa Barbara (5/2)

(Trainer: Aidan O'Brien Jockey: Ryan Moore)
Form: 1-4
Santa Barbara made a big impression when winning on her racecourse debut at the Curragh in September and was a major gamble for last month's 1000 Guineas at Newmarket amid reports of scintillating workouts on the Ballydoyle gallops.
Aidan O'Brien's charge - who is the choice of Ryan Moore - had to make do with minor honours in fourth over the Rowley Mile, but is once again strongly fancied to claim Classic glory at the second attempt.

O'Brien said: "Santa Barbara is very well. She came out of Newmarket like I hoped she would and everything has gone well since then with her.

"We trained her for Newmarket like it was her first run of the season and we had to be careful. This time we got to train her for a Classic.
"She did very well in Newmarket for a filly only having her second run. She was always very special in her work.
"She ran a big race and showed what she can do. When the ground is quick at Newmarket, it just makes it a little bit more tricky for horses with not a lot of experience. We were delighted with the way she travelled and she showed us the class that she shows us at home.
"It is a risk going into a Classic on only your second run, from a very easy run on softish ground at the Curragh to then go to Newmarket on fast ground. We were really delighted the way she came out of it.
"The Guineas is the Guineas, but you would imagine normal, natural improvement will come. She hasn't shown us anything in her work to suggest otherwise."

Snowfall (5/1)

(Aidan O'Brien/Frankie Dettori)
Form: 14598-1
Snowfall earned her place with victory in the Musidora Stakes at York
Snowfall is seemingly the yard's second-string behind favourite Santa Barbara.
However, it would not be the first time the O'Brien-trained market leader was usurped by a stablemate and Snowfall's recent Musidora victory at York gives plenty of encouragement.
The Deep Impact filly did not look anything special as a juvenile last year and was found wanting on more than one occasion in top company - but she looked a different proposition entirely upped to 10 furlongs on the Knavesmire.
Admittedly she received a peach of a front-running ride from Ryan Moore, but she was certainly not stopping at the finish and can be expected to take another step forward from her first competitive run of the campaign.
Snowfall looked as though she would relish another move up in trip in beating Noon Star by the best part of four lengths, an opinion further evidenced by the fact she hails from the family of the top-class Found - a comment which also applies to fellow Ballydoyle inmate Divinely.
The latter has attracted an avalanche of support in recent days, but whether she can deal with the Epsom cambers is a question mark, as it is for many in the field, and Snowfall - who will have the assistance of Frankie Dettori - looks as good as any in what appears to be an open year.

Divinely (20/1)

(Aidan O'Brien/Seamie Heffernan)

Form: 52418-4

Lingfield Oaks Trial fourth place Divinely, behind Sherbet Lemon, has been the subject of significant market support this week.

O'Brien said: "Divinely had a lovely run in Lingfield, probably a lot better than it looked. Ryan was over the moon with her. They went slow, which didn't suit, but Ryan was delighted with her. Since then all the numbers on her work have been very good.
"All her figures from her works have been coming out very high - that's usually a very good sign."

Willow (20/1)

(Aidan O'Brien/Wayne Lordan)

Form: 431-73
A winner at 1m on yielding - soft ground. Third of 7 behind Insinuendo beaten by 3 1/2 lengths at 11/4jt-fav on her latest outing in the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Blue Wind Stakes at Naas over 1m 2f (yielding - soft) last month.
O'Brien said: "Willow ran in Naas and we think she has progressed nicely. She progressed a lot from the first to Naas and we think she has progressed again."

La Joconde (50/1)

(Aidan O'Brien/William Buick)

Form: 5432-24
Placed in three of six starts. Finished 8 lengths behind Dubai Fountain when fourth of 7 at 9-2 on her latest outing at Chester over 1m 3f (good to soft) last month.
O'Brien said: "We always thought La Joconde was better than she has showed on the track. She hasn't won her maiden yet, but has always worked a lot better than a maiden."

Sherbet Lemon (33/1)

(Archie Watson/Hollie Doyle)

Form: 141

A leading lady of the Flat out to claim a slice of history is Hollie Doyle.

The record-breaking jockey will be riding in the race for the first time aboard Archie Watson's Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Sherbet Lemon.
"We always knew she wanted a trip as she is by Lemon Drop Kid and is out of Famous, who was pretty decent herself, so we knew she was going to have the quality," said Doyle.
"They had things their own way up front at Lingfield, which was a big help to her being able to do everything in her own rhythm coming down that hill. Whether she will be able to dictate like that around Epsom, I'm not so sure, but we will see.
"She has been around Lingfield and she handled that OK, despite being a bit green - I don't see Epsom being a massive problem.
"There are a few that you would have doubts about stamina, but Sherbet Lemon does everything right to ensure she gets it. She settles and she travels - I can't knock her."

Save A Forest (33/1)

(Roger Varian/Callum Shepherd)

Form: 5-3112
Successful at 1m 1f and 1m 2f on good to firm ground and on the all-weather. Beaten 3/4 of a length by Sherbet Lemon when second of 8 at 12/1 on her latest outing at Lingfield over 1m 4f (soft) last month. Has won at Windsor and Wolverhampton this season.
Trainer Roger Varian said: "I'm very happy with Save A Forest's condition and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see her run a nice race."

Ocean Road (25/1)

(Hugo Palmer/Oisin Murphy)

Form: 21-3
A winner at 1m on the all-weather. Third of 8 behind Sherbet Lemon beaten by 1 3/4 lengths at 4/1 on her latest outing at Lingfield over 1m 4f (soft) last month.
Trainer Hugo Palmer said: "She is an utterly beautiful filly to look at. She is exceptionally balanced and has beautiful depth.
"She is a half-sister to a dual Group One winner over a mile and a half in Wigmore Hall and she is by a Derby winner (Australia). When you have got all those things, you are dreaming right from the start.
"I'm always a glass half-full kind of person and I try to dream what is the best a horse can be, then we go to Plan B to Z after Plan A hasn't worked!
"Oisin (Murphy) made his move early (at Lingfield) in the hope he would give the filly time to get there. She got there in four strides, which caught him by surprise.
"She rather used her winning kick on ground softer than ideal, then just didn't quite get home, but I think she will stay very well."

Teona (9/1)

(Roger Varian/David Egan)

Form: 21-3

A winner at 1m 2f on the all-weather. Third of 7 behind Snowfall beaten 4 1/2l at 15-8 on her latest outing in the Group Three Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York over 1m 2f (good to soft) last month. She is wearing a hood for the first time.

Trainer Roger Varian said: "We take the positives out of the Musidora run. These are trials at the end of the day and if you're going to get things wrong it's better to do it in the trial than on the big day.

"I think she's extremely talented and I hope that on the day she won't make the sort of juvenile mistakes she made at York."

Zeyaadah (9/2)

(Roger Varian/Jim Crowley)

Form: 111-2
She has won three times from 7f to 1m on good and heavy ground and on the all-weather. Beaten by Dubai Fountain when second of 7 at 5/1 on her latest outing at Chester over 1m 3f (good to soft) last month.
Trainer Roger Varian said: "I hope she will stay. I suppose she's not guaranteed to on pedigree, but her running style should give her a chance and she slugged out a Montrose Stakes last year in the style of a filly who we think should stay a mile and a half.
"There's definitely a bit (of improvement) in the locker. She took an age to come to herself this spring and I only really got happy with her about a fortnight before Chester."

Dubai Fountain (15/2)

(Mark Johnston/F Norton)

Form: 22424-1

She has won three times from 7f to 1m 3f on ground varying from good to soft. Won on her latest outing when 13/8fav at the Chester Oaks over 1m 3f (good to soft) last month, beating Zeyaadah by one length.

Saffron Beach (11/1)

(Jane Chapple-Hyam/A Kirby)

Form: 11-22
Saffron Beach gives Jane Chapple-Hyam strong claims of becoming the first woman to train the winner of the Cazoo Oaks.
Unbeaten in two starts as a juvenile, the daughter of New Bay was narrowly beaten on her return to action in the Nell Gwyn at Newmarket before performing best of the British when runner-up to Aidan O'Brien's Mother Earth in the 1000 Guineas.
While a tilt at the Irish Guineas was considered, connections ultimately decided to step up half a mile in distance for a second tilt at Classic glory following a pleasing racecourse gallop at Epsom last week.
Chapple-Hyam said: "The race and the other horses won't bother her - it will be the crowds as she has never seen a crowd.
"I will probably put a red hood on her until the start, just because she hasn't seen a crowd. The way to dot the I's and cross the T's is to keep the lid on her as she is strong to lead up.
"It is a big thrill to be part of this, so let's hope we can go there and do the best."

Technique (80/1)

(Martyn Meade/S M Levey)

Form: 127
A winner at 1m 1f on the all-weather. Beaten 9 lengths behind Sherbet Lemon at 5/1 when seventh of 8 on her latest outing at Lingfield over 1m 4f (soft) last month.

Mystery Angel (50/1)

(George Boughey/B A Curtis)

Form: 2-22514
Members of the Nick Bradley Racing syndicate that own Mystery Angel, who finished fourth in the Musidora, stumped up £22,500 to add her to the field earlier in the week and are hoping for a bold showing following a pleasing gallop at Epsom last week.
Bradley said: "It looks a stronger race than we'd have liked, but we are where we are.
"The track will suit and she appears to be in very good form - she's in better form at home than she was going to York.
"She looks overpriced a little bit at the moment, I think. We're hopeful of a good run."

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