As final declarations were made for the Epsom Oaks on Friday, we learned that there would be a field of nine who will try to contest what looks to be a mighty challenge from Rhododendron.
The O’Brien filly is yet to tackle the mile-and-a-half trip, but there seems to be no shortage of confidence from connections over the distance, and her pedigree also adds weight to those claims.
In truth, it’s hard to find many chinks in the armour of the odds-on favourite. The betting market is not particularly enticing either, but with the confirmed running of French Group 1 winning-filly SOBETSU, the market may have a horse that can challenge the daughter of Galileo.
Sobetsu – a daughter of Dubawi – also has an outstanding pedigree with plenty of middle-distance classic winners in the family. She looked destined for a tilt at the Prix De Diane and had been effectively ruled out of the Oaks by her yard earlier in May.
But with the going suitable – which is the key to this filly – they felt it would be silly not to have a crack at this knowing they could go to the French Oaks in a fortnight and not get the ground they want.
That move is significant and so is the markets, with Sobetsu as big a price as 14/1 in the ante-post market 24hrs ago. The best on offer now from the bookies is 9/1, and that could continue to be cut further with more support for the only other Group 1 winner in the race.
Sobetsu spread-eagled her maiden at Newmarket on her second start of her juvenile campaign and then started joint-favourite with Rhododendron for the Dubai Fillies Mile where she finished a flat fifth of eight. She was found to have scoped dirty after that race, and it was also very quick going so there were excuses for that run.
She certainly improved for the step up in distance to 1m 2f to trounce a Group 1 field on soft ground on her reappearance at Deauville, and she is fancied to handle the 1m 4f trip and give the re-opposing jolly more of a fight as a three-year-old.
0.5pt each-way Sobetsu @9/1, 16:30 Epsom Downs, Friday (1/4 odds, three places bet365)
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