Joseph O'Brien has his fingers crossed Maybe will last home when she steps up to a mile and a half in the Investec Oaks at Epsom on Friday.

The 19-year-old is excited at the prospect of partnering the daughter of Galileo, who heads a strong team of fillies from his father Aidan's stable in the fillies' Classic.

O'Brien jnr was convinced Maybe would stay the eight furlongs of the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, in which she finished a staying-on third, but this extra half a mile is another matter.

He said: "I'm really looking forward to her. She ran a good race to finish third in the Guineas, just ahead of The Fugue, so on that form she'd have to have a big chance.

"The trip is obviously a massive question mark. She's stepping up from a mile to a mile and a half and half a mile is a long way.

"After riding her at Newmarket, I'd like to think she'll stay further than a mile, but whether she'll get the mile and a half or not is another thing.

"It's hard to know what kind of improvement there will be.

"Some horses improve for a step up in trip - some horses go backwards - so we'll just have to see.

"She's a Group One-winning filly and hopefully she can run a big race."

Aidan O'Brien, who has won the Oaks three times, has declared five other fillies - Betterbetterbetter, Devotion, Kissed, Twirl and Was.

Ryan Moore won on Snow Fairy two years ago and is hoping Kissed gets the go-ahead.

She will only run if the Coolmore team deem conditions are suitable.

"My logic is that if Aidan thinks the ground is suitable, then I think she will have a big chance of winning," the jockey told www.betting.betfair.com.

"Clearly, her high knee action suggests she needs to get her toe in. But Andrew Cooper is the best clerk of the course in the country, and he will provide beautiful ground at Epsom on Friday.

"And I think Kissed is tailor-made for the race.

"I think she is a high-class filly. Being drawn 14 of 14 isn't ideal, though.

"I would prefer to be drawn in the middle. But it's my job to solve that problem. I just hope that I get the chance."

The Fugue was one place behind Maybe when fourth in the 1000 Guineas and has since run out a convincing winner over Twirl in the Musidora Stakes.

Trainer John Gosden is optimistic she will stay.

He told British Champions Series TV: "She's tough, she came out of the Guineas well and it's not normal to go quickly back like that, but she went up to York and I thought she ran a lovely race.

"The mother (Twyla Tharp) was by a stallion more known for his stamina, but Dansili seems to get them to go anything from a mile to a mile and a half, so hopefully that side of the family comes through and she gets the trip well."

William Haggas saddled Dancing Rain to take the glory 12 months ago and has a leading fancy this time in Vow, unbeaten winner of the Lingfield Oaks Trial.

"She's got a chance in a very tight race. Aidan O'Brien has got a good team of three-year-olds and John Gosden's filly, The Fugue, was impressive at York.

"She's got it all to do, but we're pleased to be there," he told At The Races.

Kailani bids to be Godolphin' first winner of this prize since her dam Kazzia 10 years ago.

The Monsun filly has won both her starts but is still something of an unknown quantity.

"I can definitely see an improvement in her home work and she has been doing everything nicely," said her trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni.

"We need to know how good she is, so we shall run her in the Oaks to find out."

Ralph Beckett tasted Oaks success with Look Here in 2008 and has a lively outsider in Colima, who was second to Vow at Lingfield.

"I was delighted with her at Lingfield. It was a great shame the race wasn't run on the turf," he said. "I think she has improved for her run. I wouldn't be confident of bridging the gap on Vow; I'm not confident about anything, but we live in hope. "

Hughie Morrison fields two in the Classic, with Shirocco Star and Coquet both amongst the outsiders.

Shirocco Star is a general 20-1 shot after finishing a narrow second in the Swettenham Stud Fillies' Trial at Newbury, while Coquet is 25-1 despite winning the Listed Height of Fashion Stakes on her latest outing.

"Our view is that we will take our chances as there is only one Oaks. There are plenty of Ribblesdales and races like that which are lovely to win, but there is only one Oaks," said Morrison.

"It would have been nice if Shirocco Star had won her trial but we were pleased with the performance. She's got a fair amount of speed but you would have to say, on breeding, she should get the mile and a half.

"There might be a slight question mark about Coquet on that score, as some would argue her sire Sir Percy perhaps didn't quite get the trip, while her dam was a mile-and-a-quarter winner.

"She has as much chance as any though.

"I would be disappointed if Coquet didn't handle the track but she would not want it soft. We wouldn't want a heavy shower before the race for either of them really."