Our form expert has three selections for Betfred Oaks day at Epsom live on ITV Racing this Friday.
The Verdict: Friday June 5
1pt win Chancellor in the 14:40 Epsom at 14/1 (William Hill)
1pt win Alpha Crucis in the 15:15 Epsom at 9/1 (Paddy Power, William Hill)
1pt win Asmen Warrior in the 16:40 Epsom at 17/2 (Paddy Power, William Hill)
Earhart to fly home, budget for Chancellor
Amelia Earhart has been on the Minnie Hauk path to Betfred Oaks glory ever since she was a two-year-old and she looks to have outstanding claims of winning trainer Aidan O’Brien a 12th renewal of the Epsom Classic on Friday.
The daughter of Camelot was given a traditional O’Brien Oaks preparation as a juvenile, racking up the experience over seven furlongs before she announced herself as a future middle-distance prospect with a resounding seven-length win in a mile maiden at Leopardstown last October.
That was the same maiden Minnie Hauk won the year before she won the Oaks and Amelia Earhart took in the same Classic trial as that filly in the spring, too, running away with the Cheshire Oaks in the style of a strong stayer at the trip.
That’s to be expected given she is out of an Irish Oaks runner-up in Venus De Milo and everything she has done so far in her career has been in preparation for the day before the Derby.
Her trainer describes her as ‘quirky’ at home which explains the unusual hood and blinkers combination, but that mix of headgear worked a treat around Chester where she behaved well and will have learnt plenty ahead of Friday’s assignment.
With more improvement expected on her second start of the campaign she’s impossible to oppose, with the rain at Epsom this week also a positive, and while odds of 9/4 look about right it’s with hope some of you took the 33/1 advised on these pages back in January.
As far as Friday goes it’s a no-bet race for me, but there are some really good betting races to get stuck into on the Oaks undercard including the Group 3 Betfred Diomed Stakes over the extended mile at 14:40.
This is a tight contest with very little between the field on ratings, but John & Thady Gosden’s CHANCELLOR has improvement in him this season and he looks the bet.
The son of Kingman improved significantly on the all-weather for wind surgery and being gelded in the winter, and there is no reason whatsoever why he won’t continue that trajectory back on turf.
Indeed, I’m looking forward to seeing what he’s got up his sleeve back on the grass especially with a bit of cut in the ground, as he put in a mighty impressive debut win the only previous time he’s encountered such conditions.
He’s completely unexposed over a mile on turf having never run over the distance on the grass before, but he improved for the extra furlong in good Listed races at Kempton and Southwell in the winter, where he hinted he could be a force in the older miler division this summer.
Kept on the go for All-Weather Finals Day, he raced close to a hot pace off top weight in handicap company, doing his reputation no harm, before missing his intended turf return at Ascot in the Paradise Stakes due to a bruised foot.
He’s been off a couple of months, then, but that’s of no concern as he put in one of his best performances off a similar break at Southwell and the Gosdens (with a 31% strike-rate at Epsom the last five seasons) will likely have him well primed for this.
The Verdict: Back CHANCELLOR in the 14:40 Epsom
Alpha to beta Epsom rivals
The handicaps are really competitive and the 1m2f Betfred “Nifty 50” Handicap is no exception with the likes of Sallaal and Hand Of God teed up nicely for a crack at the £120,000 prize.
They will likely have to go some to give plenty of weight to Gary & Josh Moore’s ALPHA CRUCIS, though, who looks well capable of landing one of these high-profile handicaps when everything is in his favour.
He needs rain and plenty of it just to run, but this week’s downpours should allow him to at least take his chance and he has some good Epsom form to his name after finishing second twice here from two goes over shorter trips.
On his seasonal reappearance at Doncaster he looked on good terms with himself when fifth in the Lincoln and the son of Australia is probably better suited to 10 furlongs now despite a 0-6 record at the trip.
Those bare figures don’t tell the whole story, as he has run some very good races over 10 furlongs in defeat, and with a strong pace looking likely he can travel away strongly under Jason Watson.
He has been coming up just short in this type of race, but the combination of 10 furlongs and Epsom promises to suit him well and at the prices he can give the less exposed horses a good race.
The Verdict: Back ALPHA CRUCIS in the 15:15 Epsom
Well-in Warrior to slay opposition
Finally, ASMEN WARRIOR can give things a good go from towards the front under Silvestre De Sousa in the HKJC World Pool Handicap over the extended mile.
James Owen’s horse is officially 4lb well-in after bouncing back to form over a mile at Windsor on May 25 where a strong De Sousa ride off the front end almost paid dividends.
Beaten a head by the lightly-raced Antipodes for Roger Varian, the pair were over four lengths clear of the rest and Asmen Warrior just looked unlucky to bump into one.
The good news is he gets another go off the same mark over the same trip and it looks like Owen has found the key to him.
First-time blinkers replacing the visor looks a statement of intent, too, but while a prominent ride looks likely I don’t think De Sousa would mind getting a tow into things off something like Mister Winston if that’s the way it pans out.
Either way, we know Asmen Warrior stays further and a strong pace, whether he’s forcing it or not, looks highly likely to suit.
The Verdict: Back ASMEN WARRIOR in the 16:40 Epsom
Preview posted at 15:20 BST on 04/06/26
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