Star fillies stand firm in Oaks

Ninety-three fillies have been entered for the 2011 renewal of the Investec Oaks at Epsom on June 3.

All of the ante-post fancies such as Sir Michael Stoute’s Havant, Godolphin’s White Moonstone and Aidan O’Brien’s Group One winner Misty For Me have stood their ground.

Stoute has also entered Cape Dollar, winner of the Rockfel Stakes.

Half a length behind her that day was Roger Teal’s Cochabamba, who was also placed in the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood.

Epsom-based Teal believes Cochabamba has filled out in the winter and fully warrants her entry alongside stablemate Barathea Dancer.

“Cochabamba did us proud last year and has some good form in Group races. We had to make an entry and she deserves to be in there,” said Teal.

“She was never very big so I have trained her with a view to hoping that she will train on into a three-year-old.

“We’ve just started stepping her back up in to her work and I left her as long as possible to give her every chance of training on.

“She has grown a little bit but she is never going to be a tall filly and she has strengthened up and filled out in the right places.

“Her sire, Hurricane Run, brings the stamina and there’s a bit more speed on the dam’s side.

“She has Guineas entries too but, the thing is, she switches off nicely and is an easy ride.

“We’ll find out more about whether she will stay a mile and a half as the year goes on.

“It would be lovely to have a runner in a Classic in my home town, so that’s something that we are hopefully looking forward to.

“Barathea Dancer is a shot in the dark given her form but she is a lovely big filly and was a bit on the weak side as a two-year-old. She was probably too big as a two-year-old but she ran some creditable races and has done well.”

Teo’s Sister, an unraced sister to champion two-year-old Teofilo, has been entered by Jim Bolger, while an interesting candidate from the Henry Cecil is the unraced All Time.