The Oaks: Katie Midwinter's runner-by-runner guide and 1-2-3 prediction for the fillies' Classic at Epsom

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Amelia Earhart

15/82.88 favourite to win the Oaks

An impressive winner of the Listed Cheshire Oaks won previously by her stablemate Minnie Hauk, and earlier by Oaks heroine Enable, Amelia Earhart made a significant impression on the Roodee to beat favourite I'm The One by two-lengths.

She sported a hood along with blinkers, both for the first time, which did the job as she was able to make a successful step up in trip, enhancing her Classic claims in the process.

The Coolmore home-bred has a stamina-laden pedigree, being by Derby winner Camelot out of a dual Group Three winner over a mile-and-a-half in Venus De Milo, a daughter of Duke Of Marmalade who was beaten only half-a-length in the 2013 Irish Oaks.

The exciting filly, who is a sister to Chester Cup winner Cleveland, has already proven her stamina credentials at Chester and could have plenty of further progression to come over this distance. She gained plenty of experience as a juvenile before shedding her maiden tag impressively at Leopardstown, and represents a top in-form team whose current crop of Classic contenders have been shining in recent weeks.

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Legacy Link

3/14.00 to win the Oaks

Dubawi filly Legacy Link justified 6/42.50 favouritism to land the Musiadora Stakes on the Knavesmire when last seen, beating Felicitas by half-a-length under Colin Keane. She has previously won a novice event at Haydock and finished fourth to subsequent Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Precise in the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket, shaping with promise during her debut campaign in deep waters. 

Entitled to improve for her first outing of the season, there could be any amount of improvement to come from the filly, who represents a yard with plenty of experience in saddling Oaks winners.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Legacy Link is out of mile-and-a-half winner Chiasma, a sister to the incomparable Frankel as well as other black-type achievers including the top class Noble Mission. She's from a fantastic family and has already proven she possesses class, making her impossible to ignore in the famous Juddmonte colours.

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Thundering On

9/25.50 to win the Oaks

An interesting contender in only her fifth career start, Joseph O'Brien-trained Thundering On finds herself towards the head of the market following a maiden success in Group Three company at Navan in April, where she justified 11/43.75 favouritism to win well.

She has previously finished a good second to Sugar Island over a mile, before being narrowly denied on her return to action, improving for her opening run of the season to make a successful return back in Stakes company.

In her first try at a mile-and-a-quarter, the daughter of Frankel appeared more impressive the further she went and an even stiffer stamina test could suit perfectly, being out of a Group One mile-and-a-quarter winning daughter of Cape Castle.

The step up to a mile-and-a-half could bring further improvement from Thundering On and a stamina-testing contest in softer conditions may suit perfectly.

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Cameo

15/28.50 to win the Oaks

Another Ballydoyle representative in the field is Wootton Bassett filly Cameo, who won the Oaks Trial at Lingfield in good fashion last month. She beat runner-up Prizeland by four-and-three-quarter-lengths that day, improving on her fifth-place finish on Curragh reappearance, returning to the winner's enclosure.

Last season, the Aidan O'Brien-trained filly landed a maiden success in soft conditions, an experience which should hold her in good stead should there be plenty of rain around Epsom come Friday. She has struggled to make a serious impression in two softer ground appearances since, but may have had other excuses and does have stamina in the pedigree being a half-sister to Portland, who has form over 1m5f.

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Venetian Lace

9/110.00 to win the Oaks

Masar filly Venetian Lace finished a brilliant third at odds of 33/134.00 in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket when last seen on reappearance. She had previously chased home Precise to place at odds of 40/141.00 in the Fillies' Mile, proving her credentials at Group One level.

During her debut campaign, the Charlie Johnston-trained contender performed consistently well on the whole and was only narrowly denied at Group Three level. She shed her maiden tag on debut at Chelmsford, before finishing fourth in the Chesham Stakes, and, having outrun her odds on a couple of occasions previously, she demands respect.

This is a step up in trip for the filly, but she is out of Dubawi mare Nash Nasha, a Listed winner who won over a mile-and-a-quarter and daughter of dual Group One winning Just The Judge, related to Oaks third High Heeled.

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A La Prochaine

9/110.00 to win the Oaks

Ralph Beckett-trained A La Prochaine finished a creditable third to Amelia Earhart in the Listed Cheshire Oaks when last seen, and, although she'll need to find plenty of improvement to reverse the form, she is entitled to take a step forward from her first run of the term and first taste of Stakes level competition

The daughter of Lope De Vega made a winning start at Newbury in October, shaping with great promise on debut to beat her stablemate Gone By, who pulled clear of the rest of the field. She's still completely unexposed but did catch the eye in defeat when last seen, sticking to the task well from the rear after a sluggish start, and appears as a work in progress, improving as she gains experience.

Whilst this may be too tough a task in only her third appearance, the half-sister to Group One-placed Mr Hollywood is an exciting prospect who could be capable of taking another significant step forward.

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K Sarra

16/117.00 to win the Oaks

Successful on debut at Southwell in the autumn, K Sarra couldn't make a successful return to action when upped into Group Three company at Newbury on reappearance, but improved plenty to finish third to Legacy Link at York.

The step up in trip appeared to suit on the Knavesmire, as she did her best work late on, closing in the final stages of the race against tough opposition. There could be more to come from the daughter of New Bay as she's upped to a mile-and-a-half, being out of a middle-distance winner in Parnell's Dream, also dam of Pride Of Arras, and related to Kissable, who produced Prix de Royallieu heroine Loving Dream.

Whilst she hasn't shown the flashy form of some of her shorter-priced rivals, and further improvement is required, K Sarra is an interesting contender who appears to be learning on the job. She's open to further progression and a stiffer test of stamina, as well as an easier surface, could bring out the best from her.

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On Message

25/126.00 to win the Oaks

On Message finished strongly to place third in Listed company to Inis Mor at Goodwood, but further improvement is required in this step up to Group One level. She won well on reappearance at this venue, gaining valuable course experience despite being in handicap company, following on from a novice success at Wolverhampton.

Based on her latest effort, a further step up in trip could well suit the daughter of Camelot, who was doing her best work late on, and there could be plenty more to come from her. She remains unexposed and appears on an upward trajectory, therefore cannot be discounted, but will need to take another step forward for Ralph Beckett if she is to make an impression.

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Sugar Island

25/126.00 to win the Oaks

Sugar Island led in the Cheshire Oaks won by her stablemate Amelia Earhart, beaten five-and-a-half-lengths at the line by the winner at Chester.

She had previously beaten Thundering On in good fashion to claim Group Three honours at the Curragh, however, so cannot be discounted after achieving a Stakes-level success over a filly who has since franked the form.

Last term, the daughter of Dubawi also placed at Group Two level for team Ballydoyle, finishing third to Aylin at Doncaster, but was no match for Precise when well beaten at Newmarket in her following run.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained contender, who is from the family of Oaks winners in Minding and Tuesday, has shown she possesses ability during her juvenile campaign and could be capable of a big run. She's bred to be competitive in a Classic considering some of her relations, therefore cannot be ruled out for a master trainer.

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Katie Midwinter's Oaks Prediction

1. K Sarra

2. Amelia Earhart

3. Sugar Island

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