16:30 Epsom Downs

Friday 2 June 2023

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:3017:1017:45

Betfred Oaks (Fillies' Group 1) (British Champions Series)

Off time: 16:34 | Winning time: 2m 36.41s

(3)

Bright Diamond²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: C Lee| T: K R Burke| OR: 101

50/1

Useful at 2 (third in Prestige at Goodwood and Fillies' Mile at Newmarket). Creditable 2¾ lengths fifth of 9 to Eternal Hope in Lingfield Oaks Trial on reappearance but will need a big career best to play a significant role here.

Form: 133-5

(9)

Caernarfon²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Connor Beasley| T: J Channon| OR: 99

40/1

Big improver last autumn, bagging a 1m Newmarket listed race. Nearest at the finish when a respectable 10¼ lengths fourth of 20 to Mawj in 1000 Guineas back at Newmarket (1m, soft) on reappearance. Steps up markedly in trip now.

Form: 22131-4

(5)

Eternal Hope²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 102| D

12/1

Promising individual who built on her 1¼m Chelmsford maiden win in February when following up in the Lingfield Oaks Trial (1½m, AW) by 1¾ lengths from Be Happy. Tackles turf for the first time here. Capable of better again.

Form: 311

(11)

Heartache Tonight¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: C Demuro| T: D Menuisier| OR: 105

28/1

All 3 starts in France, winning a 9f Longchamp maiden last autumn. Placed in Saint-Cloud Group 3 on return and took another step forward when 1½ lengths fourth of 10 to Jannah Rose in Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary back at Longchamp (1¼m) last month. Could be more to come now stepping up to 1½m

Form: 1-34

(7)

Maman Joon⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: K Stott| T: R Hannon

50/1

400,000 gns Sea The Stars filly who made a promising start to her career when second of 16 in a 1¼m Newbury maiden (heavy) 6 weeks ago. Definitely capable of better but she's very much pitched in at the deep end here.

Form: 2

(8)

Red Riding Hood^b²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Wayne Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 102| BF

40/1

AW maiden winner. Posted a useful effort when third in Group 3 Blue Wind at Naas (1¼m) last month, doing quite well considering she was lit up in first-time blinkers (retained). Needs to make significant improvement for the step up to 1½m.

Form: 2-213

(4)

Savethelastdance²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 114

5/6

Rapid improver who won last month's Cheshire Oaks by a remarkable 22 lengths. The heavy ground no doubt played a part in the huge winning margin but it was still hard not to be very impressed and she's the one to beat.

Form: 5-11

(1)

Sea Of Roses¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Rob Hornby| T: A M Balding| OR: 100

100/1

Useful filly. Second in a Saint-Cloud Group 3 on her reappearance but 7¾ lengths adrift of Soul Sister when fifth in the Musidora at York since. Hard to make a case for after that.

Form: 21-25

(10)

Soul Sister¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: L Dettori| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 113

11/4

Got stuck in the mud in the Fred Darling on her reappearance but a totally different proposition back on a sounder surface when quickening 4 lengths clear in the Musidora at York (1¼m). Should stay 1½m and there's almost certainly more to come from this scopey filly.

Form: 1-01

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to all bets - deduction 15p in the pound

Non-Runners

(6)

Be Happy²⁰

Weight: 9-2| Age: 3

T: A P O'Brien J: Seamie Heffernan

(2)

Running Lion²⁶

Weight: 9-2| Age: 3

T: J & T Gosden J: Oisin Murphy

Forecasts

Savethelastdance (5/6), Soul Sister (11/4), Running Lion (5/1), Eternal Hope (12/1), Be Happy (25/1), Heartache Tonight (28/1), Caernarfon (40/1), Red Riding Hood (40/1), Maman Joon (50/1), Bright Diamond (50/1), Sea Of Roses (100/1)

The Aidan O'Brien and Gosden stables have shared the last 9 runnings of this and may dominate again, with wide-margin Cheshire Oaks scorer SAVETHELASTDANCE taken to show she's as effective on a quicker surface and see off Soul Sister and Running Lion, who were also impressive winners of their trials last month.