Dubai: The connections of leading chances Taghrooda and Tarfasha are hoping that they have the class to win Friday’s Epsom Oaks (G1), the fillies equivalent of the Epsom Derby (G1), which takes place the following day.

The John Gosden-trained daughter of Derby-winning sire Sea The Stars has almost totally dominated the build-up to the race, which will be run in the memory of one of British racing’s most influential and successful trainers of all time, Sir Henry Cecil, who sent out eight winners of the race between 1985 and 2007.

Taghrooda will bid to give Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, a third success in the contest and first since Eswarah triumphed in 2005. Salsabil provided Shaikh Hamdan with a first victory in the historic contest, which debuted in 1779.

Shaikh Hamdan, who goes in search of a first British Group 1 win since Awzaan landed the Shadwell Middle Park Stakes in 2009, is dually represented by the Irish-trained Tarfasha.

Dermott Weld’s trainee is a half-sister to leading stayer Saddler’s Rock and Irish Derby runner-up Galileo Rock.

The Hamdan-owned pair take on Godolphin’s Ihtimal who is looking for a third Classic victory of the season having landed the UAE 1,000 Guineas and UAE Oaks at Meydan in Dubai during the winter.

Gosden has never won the Oaks in nine attempts but hopes that Pretty Polly Stakes scorer Taghrooda, the mount of Paul Hanagan, can set the record straight.

“She is a very nice filly. People are quite correct to question the form [Pretty Polly]. I think the second [Jordan Princess] is a decent filly but she didn’t handle the testing ground next time at Goodwood and the third filly is pretty moody and did not run great in a Newbury trial,” he said in the Sporting Life.

“You win by six lengths and it is not your fault if the others do not go on.

“I feel the step up in trip will help her. However, I think the Oaks is a race with great depth, whereas Australia showed form way ahead of anything else in the Guineas for the Derby.

“Taghrooda’s form ties in very nicely with the filly [Marsh Daisy] who won the Height of Fashion Stakes [at Goodwood]. I think it’s a strong race this year because we’ve had such a mild spring and a lot of fillies have come to hand earlier than normal.”

Weld, who won the Oaks back in 1981 with Blue Wind, said of Tarfasha: “She’s a lovely filly, she’s very balanced with a good action. Hopefully she can make it all the way to the top in time.

“I don’t think stamina will be a problem, or the track. She won easy in Galway as a two-year-old, she handled the hill and came round the bend well. She’s progressive.”

Bin Surour has sent out two winners of the Oaks in 15 attempts and remains bullish about the prospects of Ihtimal who will be tackling the mile and half trip for the first time

“I am very happy with her. She is ready to go for the Oaks and is tough with a big heart,” he said. “I think a mile and a half will be fine for her.”