MOTH can provide Aidan O’Brien with a fourth triumph in the Investec Oaks at Epsom, writes TATTENHAM.

The master Irish trainer landed the third domestic Classic of the Flat season 12 months ago with 20-1 shot Was, but his main hope this year could be a far better horse than that one.

Everything she has hitherto done on racecourse, not to mention her breeding, tends to indicate this mile-and-ahalf trip at the exacting Surrey venue is made to measure.

That certainly appeared the case in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, when she overcame late scrimmaging before flying home at the death.

Moth eventually finished third, but the credence of that form was rubber-stamped at the Curragh on Sunday when runner-up, Just The Judge, excelled in the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Her critics would argue that O’Brien’s inmate looked rather naive when she tackled the dip at Newmarket, which might not bode particularly well as Epsom is a far trickier circuit to navigate.

That said, she is sure to have gained crucial big-race experience in the Guineas, while there is also the suspicion O’Brien did not have Moth fully wound up at Newmarket, with further progress seemingly a given at Epsom.

Just as important, of course, is the fact her stout pedigree lends itself beautifully towards middle distances, while her proven form when there is cut in the ground could potentially serve her well, given the forecast.

John Gosden can dominate the supplementary Group races, the Princess Elizabeth Stakes and the Investec Diomed Stakes, on a quality card.

Starscope is the choice in the first-named event and she was not far off being top class as a three-year-old, finishing second in the 1000 Guineas and in the Coronation Stakes. She made a promising return from a long absence at York a fortnight ago and that close-up third in the Middleton Stakes, allied to a return to a mile in a slightly weaker race, will have teed her up nicely for this engagement.

Stablemate Gregorian also enjoyed a profitable 2012, with his third in the St James’s Palace Stakes one of the main talking points.

His narrow second in a Listed race at Haydock would suggest he has trained on nicely.