Dubai: Lady Of Dubai will on Friday bid to emulate Taghrooda’s feat of 12 months ago and give Dubai another success in the Group 1 Investec Oaks, the second Classic of the British season and the traditional curtain raiser to the Investec Derby.

Trained by two-time Derby-winning handler Luca Cumani, the progressive daughter of Dubawi, earned her ticket to Epsom by winning Goodwood’s Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes, a recognised trial for the Oaks, a prestigious two-century old event for three-year-old fillies.

Lady Of Dubai will race in the colours of Shaikh Mohammad Obaid Al Maktoum, who in 1998 landed the Derby with his brilliant homebred High-Rise.

Lady Of Dubai is a 12/1 chance with official Epsom oddsmaker Coral who have Legatissimo and Crystal Zvezda vying for favouritism.

The David Wachman-trained Legatissimo landed the first fillies’ Classic of the season, the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 3, and will attempt to become the 48th horse to add the Oaks to her resume.

Crystal Zvezda, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, who goes in search of a third Oaks triumph and first since Unite in 1987, caught the eye when hammering her rivals in the Listed Haras De Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial Stakes at Newbury on May 16.

Two wins so far

John Gosden, who saddles the Derby favourite Golden Horn on Saturday, is represented by Jazzi Top, a daughter of Danehill Dancer who is out of Group 1 winner Zee Zee Top.

Jazzi Top has won two of her four starts, having finished third on two outings as a juvenile. She laid down her credentials for the Oaks when defeating Zanda by a length and a half to win the 2,000m Listed Tweenhills Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on May 3.

Besides Legatissimo, there are four more Irish-trained contenders including the oddly named Jack Naylor (Jessica Harrington), who is third favourite.

Placed at Group One level in 2014, she was last seen finishing strongly to take fourth place in the Irish 1,000 Guineas behind Pleascach at the Curragh last month.

Top Irish handler Aidan O’Brien, seeking a fifth win in the Oaks, has three declared runners led by the Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Diamondsandrubies.

His trio includes last year’s Group 1 Fillies’ Mile heroine Together Forever and Qualify, a Group Three winner last year who disappointed in both the QIPCO 1000 Guineas and Irish 1,000 Guineas this season.

The French are represented by Andre Fabre’s Al Naamah, a full-sister to the 2012 Investec Oaks heroine Was who is believed to have cost a record five million guineas as a yearling.

Completing the line-up is the Ralph Beckett-trained Bellajeu, while Attempting is bidding to become the first maiden to capture the Oaks since Sun Princess 32 years ago.

David Stevens, the spokesman for Coral said: “As expected, Ryan Moore will maintain his Classic winning partnership with Legatissimo at Epsom but, although the pairing remain at the head of the betting, there has been significant support for Crystal Zvezda since her Newbury trial success, and she could yet start favourite for the Investec Oaks.”