Hamdan pair star in Oaks field The Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned pair of Taghrooda and Tarfasha are two of 17 fillies declared for Friday's Investec Oaks at Epsom, run this year in memory of Sir Henry Cecil. John Gosden's Taghrooda shot to the head of the betting for the Classic when winning the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket in impressive fashion. The Sheikh's retained jockey Paul Hanagan will be on board. Tarfasha is trained in Ireland by Dermot Weld and was an impressive winner of the Blue Wind Stakes, however, Weld has repeatedly stated she will not be at home on rain-softened ground. Aidan O'Brien's Marvellous has overtaken Taghrooda at the top of the market with some bookmakers after a brilliant display in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and s he is unsurprisingly the choice of Joseph O'Brien, with Ryan Moore riding stablemate Palace and Seamie Heffernan on Dazzling. David Simcock is one of a number of trainers with more than one chance. He runs Musidora winner Madame Chiang and Momentus, third in the Lingfield Oaks Trial behind Ralph Beckett's Honor Bound, the choice of Jim Crowley over stablemate Regardez. Crowley chose the wrong one of Beckett's runners 12 months ago when his mount Secret Gesture was beaten by stable companion Talent and the jockey will be hoping lightning does not strike twice. Roger Varian's Anipa was supplemented after winning the Cheshire Oaks, while Hughie Morrison's Marsh Daisy was also added to the field late following an impressive win at Goodwood. Ed Dunlop's Amazing Maria has her first run of the year after a promising juvenile campaign and will have the assistance of Frankie Dettori. Dunlop also runs Island Remede. Saeed bin Suroor's Ihtimaal, third in the Guineas, Luca Cumani's Volume, winner of the Swettenham Stud Trial, Peter Chapple-Hyam's Inchila and Tony Coyle's Lily Rules make up the big field. The latter is the only filly trained in the north and was second to Madame Chiang in the Musidora. She also needed to be supplemented by her connections. "She's entitled to go down, she ran a blinder at York. It cost us a few quid to put her in but like the owner said to me, we might never have a chance to run another filly in the Oaks again," Coyle told At The Races. "For the type of prize money on offer it's worth taking a shot. She's not going down to make up the numbers. She's a very good filly. "Hopefully they get the rain that is forecast, the more rain the better for her. She goes on good no problem but she's more effective on soft as it takes the sting out of the others. "We fancied her to run well at York. She was unlucky in the Nell Gwyn, she wouldn't have won but would have been second or third but the trip was too sharp for her over seven, she wasn't quick enough when the gaps appeared. "She'll definitely get a mile and three (furlongs) but on pedigree she's not guaranteed to get a mile and a half. She wasn't stopping at York so I don't think she'll have a problem. If she's in the first five I'll be as proud as punch."
