Protectress set to miss Oaks Protectress is set to miss the Vodafone Oaks, it emerged today.Henry Cecil is likely to rely instead on once-raced maiden Java in the Epsom Classic, which he has won seven times in 17 years, provided the filly comes through her trial at Haydock on Saturday.'We`ll see how Java gets on at Haydock before we make a firm decision but I think Protectress may be a bit fragile to go to Epsom and the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot is probably a better option for her,' he told the Daily Mail.Protectress had been quoted as short as 10-1 for the Oaks, having finished second to Monturani on her belated reappearance at Newbury last week.Java was a `talking horse` in the spring when favourable reports of her work on the home gallops abounded. But she was beaten into second place when odds-on for her debut in a maiden at Nottingham a fortnight ago.She bids to go one place better in the St Helens Maiden Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.
