Horse Racing: It's just 7 to 1 about Aidan O'Brien completing a second Oaks-Derby double in three years and the Ballydoyle trainer has both the favourite Yesterday and L'ancresse in today's fillies classic.
A victory for one of them will make O'Brien the most successful Irish trainer in Oaks history with three wins. Ireland has been successful just seven times in the race.
Yesterday is following in the footsteps of Imagine who won the Irish Guineas en-route to Epsom but significantly that champion won the Oaks almost in spite of herself.
Imagine was a classic example of a horse not acting on the famous switchback track and it was only her class that got Imagine home.
Yesterday's Guineas success owed as much to Six Perfections' bad luck as her own ability and although her sister Quarter Moon acted well enough around here to be runner up last year, Yesterday looks a heavier sort who may just struggle down the hill.
At a general 2 to 1, she doesn't look a favourite to get stuck into and funnier things have happened than the Ballydoyle second string upsetting the odds.
In O'Brien's short classic career, it has happened to Imagine, Black Minnaloushe and most famously of all with High Chaparral in last year's Derby. Not only that but Mick Kinane has picked wrong more than once in recent weeks.
L'ancresse was just three lengths off her stable mate at the Curragh when she forced the pace to the two furlong pole. Ridden with more restraint she looks a genuine prospect in her own right and at a general 20 to 1 she looks a much better value choice to handle Epsom's unique gradients.
O'Brien reported yesterday: "Both of them have been fine since the Guineas and both have been trained for the Oaks all year. We have always thought that a mile and a half would see improvement in them. As long as the ground is safe it should be fine for the two fillies."
Rain is forecast at some stage today and that could be significant with the going already "good." It certainly wouldn't be welcome in the Godolphin camp who are searching for a fourth Oaks success. Fantastic Light's sister Hi Dubai likes a quick surface which she didn't get in France when runner up in the Alary.
Hammiya won on fast going at Chester and it was also fast when Hanami was an unlucky fifth to Russian Rhythm in the Newmarket 1,000 Guineas.
The ground situation is uncertain but what isn't is Kevin Darley's record on Ballydoyle horses.
A pair of Racing Post Trophy wins on High Chaparral and Brian Boru prove his smart strike. L'ancresse looks an each way option to prove the best strike of all.
O'Brien and Kinane team up for Black Sam Bellamy in the Coronation Cup, a race that hasn't fallen to an Irish-trained horse since Roberto 30 years ago.
Galileo's brother picked up a sub-standard Group One in the Tatersalls Gold Cup but this one doesn't look much better.
Galileo whizzed around this track in the 2001 Derby but Black Sam Bellamy looks a different physical sort who will find the down hill run quite a challenge.
A safer option could be the Jockey Club winner Warrsan who is in the form of his life and holds Bandari on that Newmarket form.
The French hope Polish Summer is bidding to give Andre Fabre a sixth success in the race but this could be one Epsom Group One that stays in Britain.
