16:30 Epsom Downs

Friday 31 May 2024

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:3017:1017:40

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

Off time: 16:32 | Winning time: 2m 42.06s

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Selected odds by:

(1)

Caught U Looking³⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: C T Keane| T: N Meade| OR: 104

16/1

Group 3 winner at 2 but only sixth in the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket on final start. Creditable 2 lengths fourth of 7 to Ezeliya in Group 3 at Navan (1¼m, good to soft) on reappearance 34 days ago. Up in trip again. Hard to make a case for.

Form: 6116-4

(2)

Dance Sequence²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 106

7/1

7f Group 3 winner at 2. Beaten a neck in Nell Gwyn on Newmarket reappearance but could only finish ninth of 16 in the 1000 Guineas there 18 days later. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 11-29

(5)

Ezeliya³⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: C D Hayes| T: D K Weld| OR: 105

13/2

Took her record to 2-3 when seeing off 6 rivals (including Caught U Looking) in 1¼m Navan Group 3 (good to soft) on reappearance, relishing the step up in trip. Should be even more to come at 1½m (dam placed in Irish Oaks). Player.

Form: 41-1

(4)

Forest Fairy²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Rossa Ryan| T: R M Beckett| OR: 98| D

10/1

Waldgeist filly who has looked a smart prospect when winning both starts, latterly the Cheshire Oaks (11f, good), leading near the line having had to wait for run. Definitely capable of better for a stable no stranger to success in this.

Form: 11

(10)

Making Dreams¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: C Lee| T: K R Burke| OR: 100

40/1

Three wins in a busy 2-y-o season and took her form up another notch with 10.5f Saint-Cloud Group 3 success (heavy) on her reappearance in April. Not in the same form when only sixth in a Longchamp Group 2 since.

Form: 5155-16

(6)

Rubies Are Red²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: W M Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 97

12/1

Sister to Arc winner Found. Has shaped encouragingly when placed on all 3 starts, showing useful form when ½-length second of 7 to You Got To Me in Lingfield Oaks trial (11.5f, good to firm) 20 days ago, staying on strongly after losing her place coming down the hill. More to come.

Form: 3-22

(9)

Seaward²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: S De Sousa| T: R M Beckett| OR: 95

40/1

Won a 1m Ascot novice last September. Well held in Fillies' Mile on her final 2-y-o start but much improved when 1¼ lengths third of 6 to Forest Fairy in Cheshire Oaks (11f, good) on reappearance 23 days ago.

Form: 417-3

(3)

Secret Satire¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 104

20/1

Progressive form, winning the Musidora at York (1¼m, good) 16 days ago by 2 lengths from Francophone (won since). Likely capable of better but her stamina isn't assured now stepping up to 1½m.

Form: 61-31

(11)

Treasure²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: James Doyle| T: R M Beckett| OR: 95

22/1

Made a winning debut in the mud at Nottingham last autumn. Stepped up on that form when 1½ lengths fourth of 7 to stablemate You Got To Me in Lingfield Oaks Trial (11.5f, good to firm) 20 days ago. Open to progress for a yard which has won this twice.

Form: 1-4

(7)

War Chimes¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Tom Marquand| T: D Menuisier| OR: 100

50/1

Listed winner on heavy ground at 2. Creditable efforts in defeat at Group level in France this year but there's little in her record to suggest she'll be up to the task here.

Form: 9171-35

(12)

Ylang Ylang²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 112

11/8

Frankel filly who won 3 of her 5 starts as a juvenile, notably the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket. Good ¾-length fifth of 16 to Elmalka in 1000 Guineas at Newmarket (1m, good) on reappearance 26 days ago, nearest finish. Promises to be suited by this much longer trip. Leading claims.

Form: 11931-5

(8)

You Got To Me²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: H Crouch| T: R M Beckett| OR: 98| D

15/2

AW winner at 2 who was having only her third start when fending off Rubies Are Red by ½ length in Lingfield Oaks Trial (11.5f, good to firm) on her reappearance 3 weeks ago. One of 4 in this for the stable. Looks capable of better again.

Form: 15-1

Forecasts

Ylang Ylang (11/8), Ezeliya (13/2), Dance Sequence (7/1), You Got To Me (15/2), Forest Fairy (10/1), Rubies Are Red (12/1), Caught U Looking (16/1), Secret Satire (20/1), Treasure (22/1), Making Dreams (40/1), Seaward (40/1), War Chimes (50/1)

YLANG YLANG looked ready for further when a promising fifth in the 1000 Guineas and can provide her yard with a seventh Oaks win since 2015. It's 43 years since Dermot Weld broke his Classic duck in this race with Blue Wind but he looks to have found a live contender in Ezeliya, who should relish 1½m. Ralph Beckett in 2013 was the last trainer other than Aidan O'Brien and the Gosdens to taste success in this and Cheshire Oaks winner Forest Fairy looks the pick of his quartet.