John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Friday.
3YO Dash to go north again
Epsom’s Oaks card opens with the 3YO ‘Dash’ Handicap (13:30) over the fastest five furlongs in the country. The older sprinters get their chance in the longer established ‘Dash’ on Derby day, but this is only the fourth running of the version confined to three-year-olds. Interestingly, each of the three previous renewals has been won by a trainer based in the North – Michael Dods, Gemma Tutty and Richard Fahey – and this year’s race could be going to Yorkshire again.
Mick & David Easterby have had runners in all three editions of this race and went close to winning the inaugural running with Miss Brazen who showed plenty of pace before finishing second to Tattersall three years ago. The same stable looks to have another speedy filly for this year’s race with Shes Got A Brother who remains open to improvement after just three starts.
Her yard isn’t noted for debut winners, but Shes Got A Brother made a good impression when making all first time up in a maiden at Southwell in April and then followed up in a novice at the same track in similar style later in the month. She then made her handicap debut in an ultra-competitive three-year-old contest at York’s Dante meeting and shaped well in finishing fourth behind Fortification after travelling as well as any, earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag. This test should be right up her street, and Shes Got A Brother could take some catching from her high draw.
Persica can keep unbeaten Epsom record
Epsom’s unique profile suits some horses more than others and one who has shown he can certainly handle the track is Richard Hannon’s gelding Persica. He has won at the Derby meeting for the last two years, being successful in the Lester Piggott Handicap over a mile and a quarter two years ago and in last year’s Diomed Stakes over the extended mile which Persica bids to win again (14:40). Four horses have won the Diomed twice, the most recent being Century Dream, underlining that proven ability to win here is a plus.
Persica had the subsequent Queen Anne Stakes winner Docklands back in third when winning this race twelve months ago, and while he doesn’t face that one again, the second and fourth from last year, Ice Max and Royal Playwright, are in the field again but both meet Persica on worse terms.
Persica had won under a penalty last year as he’d also won the Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket earlier in the season, but his overall profile last year was rather an ‘all or nothing’ one. However, he returned in better heart than he’d finished last season when contesting the Earl of Sefton again in April having been gelded over the winter. He probably needed the run in finishing fourth behind Damysus, also finishing just behind one of today’s rivals Boiling Point who has won since and looks his biggest danger. But with his yard in fine form and top on Timeform ratings, Persica looks primed for another bold bid.
Earhart looks another Oaks winner for O’Brien
Twelve months ago, Aidan O’Brien won the Oaks (16:00) for an eleventh time with Minnie Hauk who was also the trainer’s seventh winner in the last eleven renewals. Minnie Hauk went on to prove herself a high-class filly, also winning the Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks and beaten just a head in the Arc. But her form going into Epsom last year was nothing out of the ordinary having won a rather substandard edition of the Cheshire Oaks beforehand.
O’Brien saddles three fillies this year, including the latest winner of the Cheshire Oaks, with Amelia Earhart winning a stronger-looking edition of that race last month which makes her top on Timeform ratings. It had taken Amelia Earhart five attempts to shed her maiden tag, though she ran out a seven-length winner at Leopardstown on her final start last season when stepped up to a mile for the first time.
A strong, good-bodied filly, middle distances looked bound to suit Amelia Earhart at three as she’s by Derby winner Camelot out of Irish Oaks runner-up Venus de Milo, and she duly showed plenty of improvement over the longer trip at Chester, where she wore a combination of blinkers and hood, with the promise of more to come now that she tackles the full mile and a half. The Musidora Stakes winner Legacy Link and 1000 Guineas runner-up Venetian Lace are close behind in the ratings, but she’s the one to beat with further improvement expected.
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.