Ed Dunlop has welcomed Epsom's decision to put back the entry deadline for the Investec Oaks to April rather than early March.
The Newmarket handler, who has saddled both Ouija Board and Snow Fariy to claim the Epsom Classic, believes the new closing date of 14 April could help attract more foreign entries for the 12-furlong feature.
He said: "I think this is good news and it may make trainers enter fillies which have been slower to come to hand.
"As a trainer, in an ideal world, I would love the race to close even later but that is not possible.
"It doesn't make a great deal of difference in terms of the trials, as the closing date is still before the trials start taking place.
"However, the change of date could certainly help in attracting more entries from overseas, for example from France where the trials' season gets going much earlier in the year.
"The only fillies you would lose from the entries are those who were being aimed at the race and have a setback between March and April, or are disappointing in their work."
The new date gives trainer and owners an extra six weeks to decide if their charges have Classic potential and Epsom's head of racing Andrew Cooper explained the rationale behind the switch and the decision to close the Investec Coronation Cup on the same day.
He said: "We have felt for some time that the first week of March is early enough in this day and age for us to be seeking entries for a race of this nature in three months' time - particularly given how fillies can be slow to come to hand in the spring.
"The extra time now available to connections before the entry deadline will mean they are better placed to judge their filly's potential for the Investec Oaks.
"The March closing date was purely historic, and we think it may have been costing us entries in recent years, particularly from overseas.
"To keep things simple for everyone, it makes sense to close the Investec Coronation Cup on the same day."
