Newmarket heroine Minding heads a field of 9 fillies for The Oaks with the 1000 Guineas winner BetVictor’s 4/5 favourite to bag a second classic this afternoon under Ryan Moore at Epsom The daughter of Galileo was turned over at odds-on a fortnight ago at the Curragh in her quest to complete the English/Irish Guineas double but she undoubtedly had her excuses that day, banging her head leaving the stalls, and shouldn’t be inconvenienced by Epsom’s forecast good-to-soft ground.
Oaks prices from BetVictor
Minding 4/5
Skiffle 11/2
Turret Rocks 7/1
Somehow 8/1
10/1 Bar
Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper reported that 22mm fell over the track overnight on Tuesday, which should make The Oaks a severe test of the stamina and it will be fascinating to see whether the dual Gp 1 winner over mile stays when stepping up to a mile and a half for the first time. Stablemate Somehow (4.30) is bred to relish this afternoon’s mile and a half trip must go close to rewarding each-way support at 8/1 with BetVIctor.
The selection shed her maiden tag on heavy ground at Leopardstown in April, and followed-up with success in the Listed Cheshire Oaks at Chester’s May meeting. Ryan Moore suggested that the filly was ‘very green at Chester and would have learned a great deal that day’ and with just three career starts to her name is open to further improvement. She is bred to relish a mile and a half around Epsom; by Galileo and out of the dual Oaks winner Alexandrova, and is entitled to continue her progression at the highest level.
Mark Johnston and William Buick teamed-up to win the opener 12 months ago with subsequent Coventry Stakes winner Buratino and the pair can land back-to-back renewals with unbeaten filly Sea of Snow (2.00). The well-bred daughter of Distorted Humour is bred to appreciate a trip and defied her pedigree to win both starts at Windsor over the minimum trip. She should relish the extra furlong and should have the beating of Richard Hannon’s Legendary Lunch once more.
Johnston boasts a frustrating record in the 10f Handicap on the card, and is treble-handed seeking to end his barren run with Fire Fighting, Sennockian Star and Master of Finance. The former chased home Elbereth in the corresponding contest last year and is respected dropping down in grade under Fran Berry but Ryan Moore deserts Sir Michael Stoute’s Darshini to take the ride on Ed Dunlop’s Dark Red (2.35) who gets the nod to complete the four-timer. The 4-y-o scored over course and distance two starts back and is a confident selection to defy an 11lb hike at the weights.
Arod would be very hard to oppose on his preferred sounder surface in the G3 Diomed Stakes but is undoubtedly vulnerable with cut in the ground and preference lies instead with Decorated Knight (3.10) rewarding each-way support under Andrea Atzeni. Roger Charlton‘s colt remains relatively unexposed and made it second time lucky for his new handler last month at Goodwood. That success came over a mile and a quarter but the son of Galileo twice scored this afternoon’s trip last term and is entitled to take his chance stepping up in grade.
There’s action across the Irish Sea at Leopardstown where last year’s Irish St Leger winner Order of St George (7.35) makes his belated comeback in the Saval Beg Stakes over a mile and three quarters. The son of Galileo missed the final English classic of the campaign to take on his elders at the Curragh and couldn’t have been any more impressive when routing the field by an incredible 11 lengths under Joseph O’Brien. BetVictor make the colt the 7/4 favourite for the Ascot Gold Cup and this evening’s prep should put him spot-on for a tilt at the Royal Meeting.
Goodwood hosts a good card this evening where Sir Michael Stoute’s filly Delve (8.50) should be difficult to beat in the closing Fillies’ Maiden over a mile. The daughter of Dansili finished an excellent second on her seasonal debut last month at Newmarket and is bred to improve for both a sounder surface and the step up in trip.
For all the latest odds head to BetVictor.com
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