Cecil's double-barrelled attack

/ Editor / 30 May 2007 / Leave a Comment

Henry Cecil may not have won the Oaks since 2000 with Love Divine but it is a race that he has made his own and he goes into this year's race with two of the top three candidates.

Bidding to win the race for the eighth time, Cecil has declared both long-time favourite Passage of Time and the third favourite Light Shift for the fillies' Classic at Epsom on Friday, which has drawn 14 runners.

Many are rooting for Frankie Dettori's first win in the Derby but an Oaks win for Cecil would complete the renaissance of the former champion trainer and prove just as popular.

The drenching that the Epsom track has received this week will be no problem to Passage of Time, who has twice won on soft ground, but it is thought to lessen the chance of her stable companion.

Godolphin's Measured Tempo has made the Classic line-up despite a late scare with a foot abscess.

Passage of Time is clear market leader on Betfair at 2.9, ahead of Olivier Peslier's mount Dalvina (7).