Four key questions surrounding the Lancashire Oaks

2.40 Haydockbet365 Lancashire Oaks (Gr 2) | 3yo+ fillies and mares | 1m4f | ITV/RUK

The bet365 Lancashire Oaks has been won by some smart types down the years, most notably two-time winner Barshiba and Great Heavens, who followed up in the Irish Oaks. Here are four questions surrounding today’s big race . . .

Could there be one last hurrah for some very famous colours?

Derby winners Troy and North Light plus the top-class horses Ela-Mana-Mou, Golan, Pilsudski and Sun Princess are among numerous big names to have carried the familiar Ballymacoll pale blue with white and yellow check cap to prestigious success.

The horses themselves will go under the hammer later this year so there is time for at least one more victory – and Abingdon will bid to provide it on a track where Greek Dance was the owners' biggest recent winner in the Rose of Lancaster Stakes.

She could not have been more impressive when bolting up by ten lengths in Listed company at Pontefract and Richard Kingscote is looking forward to taking over from Ryan Moore, who is at Sandown.

"It's my first go in the famous colours and she's a really good ride to pick up," said the jockey, who has ridden more than 50 winners at Haydock in the last five years.

"She looks progressive and she won very well at Pontefract – I was in the race and she came by me like I was stood still.

"She has no penalty, the ground should be fine and I'm looking forward to it."

Trainer Sir Michael Stoute also runs last month's course-and-distance second Dubka in a race he last won in 2006.

Can Ajman Princess reverse course form from last month?

On the face of it Ajman Princess looks up against it.

She was nearly three lengths behind Dubka when the pair finished second and third behind French raider Bateel in the Pinnacle Stakes over this course and distance last month, never able to challenge.

But that was on much softer ground than she will encounter here and the surface appeared to blunt her speed.

The four-year-old had previously shown she is developing into a smart filly with a five-length Listed victory at Goodwood.

Roger Varian: good teamCredit: Edward Whitaker

And her trainer Roger Varian could hardly be in better form, having been on a run of seven winners in a row earlier this week – highlighted by Group-race successes for Nezwaah and Realtra.

"She’s in fine form and this has always been the target," Varian said.

"Ajman Princess ran well to finish third over course and distance in the Pinnacle Stakes last month but she found the ground too soft on that occasion and these underfoot conditions will suit her much better."

Is John Gosden the man to beat yet again?

John Gosden has won this race three times in the last six years and six times overall, dating back to Squeak's success in 1997.

And he sends two fillies north in search of another victory that would equal the record of seven set by Sir Henry Cecil.

The Black Princess was a Group 3 winner at Chantilly in April and finished second in this grade at York in May.

Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Hertford Dancer looked set to reward the enterprise of supplementing her for the Ribblesdale when dashing two lengths clear a furlong out and could well improve on the bare form of her third behind stablemate Coronet.

The trainer said: "The Black Princess wasn't suited by the soft ground in the Middleton Stakes at York last time and should be suited by going back up to a mile and a half.

"Hertford Dancer ran a good race in the Ribblesdale and has come out of that in good shape. She deserves to take her chance."

Could Rich Legacy or Wilamina upset the market leaders?

Rich Legacy looked a smart filly in the making when landing the Group 2 May Hill Stakes at Doncaster last season.

She had her limitations exposed in two subsequent Group 1 events at two and was well held in the Cheshire Oaks at Chester on her reappearance.

But there was more to like about her effort at Royal Ascot, where she stayed on well from off the pace in the Ribblesdale Stakes to take fourth – a length and a half behind Hertford Dancer.Ralph Beckett said: "She stepped forward in the Ribblesdale and I hope she'll step forward again. If she does, she'll be competitive. It was a good effort last time and the ground is no worry."

Nottinghamshire Oaks winner Wilamina will step up in class, provided conditions are suitable.

Trainer Martyn Meade said: "It's going to be ground-dependent. She really needs a bit of cut.

"I'd love to run her because she's in really good form but I did run her on firm at the backend of last year at Haydock and she didn't respond to that very well."