The Epsom Oaks Stakes

OH SO SHARP – 1985 OAKS

An Irish-bred, British-trained star of the track, Oh So Sharp won the 1985 Oaks on the way to the fillies’ Triple Crown.

Owned by Sheikh Mohammed and trained by Sir Henry Cecil, she had demonstrated huge promise by winning the Solario Stakes and Fillies’ Mile at two years old.

As a three-year-old she started the season by winning the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket, before adding the 1000 Guineas in a record time at the same track just weeks later.

At Epsom Downs the following month Oh So Sharp won by a hugely convincing six lengths from Triptych, giving American jockey Steve Cauthen his first ever win in the race. Cauthen and Cecil would also team up to win that year’s Derby with Slip Anchor.

For Oh So Sharp, victory in the St Leger later the same season guaranteed not only the coveted Fillies Triple Crown but also saw her crowned as the top-rated European Three-Year-Old Filly of the year.

RAMRUMA – 1999 OAKS

Ramruma was another Sir Henry Cecil-trained filly who dominated races in her season as a three-year-old.

Unconvincing as a two-year-old, Ramruma impressed at the start of the following year, beating colts to win a maiden race at the Craven meeting in Newmarket.

Another victory in the Oaks trial at Lingfield saw bookmakers cut her odds to 3-1 for the Oaks proper at Epsom Downs and she started second favourite on the day.

Jockey Kieran Fallon settled her behind the leaders for much of the race before making his move two furlongs from home and accelerating clear to win comfortably by three lengths.

Ramruma went on to win the Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks but finished second in the St Leger, despite starting odds-on favourite.

She raced on as a four-year-old but never won again and was retired at the end of the 2000 season.

LIGHT SHIFT – 2007 OAKS

Sir Henry Cecil’s filly made an inauspicious start to her racing career, finishing second in a six furlong maiden race at Newmarket as a two-year-old, before a third place in a seven furlong maiden at the same course four weeks later.

Despite winning her third start, in yet another Newmarket maiden, Light Shift ended the season being rated just 83 by the Racing Post, a huge 30lbs lighter than horses considered among the very best.

However, it was as a three-year-old that Light Shift blossomed beyond all recognition.

First by winning a 10 furlong race at Newbury for colts and fillies, then by winning comfortably in a Listed race at Chester.

In the Oaks at Epsom Downs, Light Shift started at 13-2 in a field of 14, but showed her class and resilience to move into the lead two furlongs from home and going on to hold off the strong challenge of Aidan O’Brien’s Peeping Fawn to win by half a length.

While it was Sir Henry’s eighth win in the race, it was his first Classic victory for seven years.

Light Shift never won another race and was retired to stud, eventually foaling the hugely popular 2017 Coral-Eclipse winner Ulysses.

MINDING – 2016 OAKS

Trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Ryan Moore have teamed up to win countless Group One races as a partnership. However, 2016 remains the only Investec Oaks won by the pair.

Minding had been among the leading two-year-old fillies of her generation in Europe when winning three of her five starts, including the Group One Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket.

As a three-year-old she convincingly won the QIPCO 1000 Guineas at the same Rowley Mile track, only to be beaten when favourite in the Irish equivalent.

However, back on English soil Minding dominated the Investec Oaks to secure victory for Moore and O’Brien to become the first horse since Kazzia in 2002 to win the Guineas-Oaks double.

After winning two more Group One races she then defeated the colts in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on British Champions Day and was later named the Cartier Horse of the Year and the world’s best three-year-old filly.

Having returned to the track for another season as a four-year-old she won her first race back, but sustained an injury and never raced again.