Morning all,

My first ever Friday column and its good day to start given the Cazoo Derby Festival gets underway this afternoon.  It’s a seven-race card at Epsom for Oaks Day. Besides the two Group 1 feature races There’s a good mix of racing with the three handicaps all attracting 14 plus runners.  You can watch the best of the action from Epsom on ITV.

Inside today’s main piece I look at the first five races on the Epsom card.

Epsom Cazoo Oaks Day

It’s good to soft, good in places at Epsom. However, it was forecast to be dry on Thursday and its set to be dry and mainly sunny today.

2:00 – Cazoo Woodcote British EBF Stakes (Conditions Race) (Class 2) – 6f

likely favourite Commander Straker sets the standard after making all to win at Bath last time. However, he doesn’t have the best of draws out wide in stall 12. Estate was runner-up to the favourite at Bath and is open to further improvement.

Ralph Beckett is 3-8 with his juveniles at the track in the past 5-years. He saddles Keep Bidding who shaped nicely on her Nottingham racecourse debut and is another open to plenty of progress on just her second start.

Mick Channon trained Chilworth Icon to win this in 2012 and had the runner-up in 2013. He saddles Legend Of Xanadu who got off the mark at the 4^th attempt when comfortably winning over 6f at Redcar 8-days ago. William Buick who has a 24%-win strike rate at Epsom and rode the colt last time stays in the saddle.  It was good to soft at Redcar so he should be fine on today’s ground. Stall 9 isn’t great though and runners drawn seven and higher are 2-38 since 2008. Iwon't be getting involved in this race. Good luck if you are.

2:35 – World Pool Handicap (Class 2) – 1m 1 ½ f

The first of three competitive handicaps. Corazon Espinado won this race 12 months off a 1lb lower mark. He’s won four times at Epsom and his form figures over C&D are 1231.  Silvestre De Sousa has won on the 7-year-old in the past is in the saddle. Each way claims, despite an awkward draw in 16, for a yard who had a welcome winner this week.  Hollie Doyle who won on Corazon Espinado 12 months ago rides Excel Power for Archie Watson. He’s won his last two on good to firm and is a perfect 3-3 at around a mile after his latest success at Windsor. Nicely drawn in stall 5 and has a clear chance despite a 6lb rise in the weights.  

Revich goes well at Chester and looked as good as ever when a ½-length 3rd of 10 at that venue last month. He can be a tricky ride, but the forecast strong pace will suit, and he did win on his only start at Epsom.

Rover Varian’s older runners at Epsom are always worth considering as the trainer is 5 -12 42% +13.75 with his 4-year-old & older horses in the past 5-years. All five were also ridden by Andrea Azteni 5-8 + 17.75. The pair combine with Fantastic Fox who finished 3 ¾ lengths behind Excel Power on his Haydock seasonal reappearance. He get’s a handy 7lb pull in the weights with winner today and should be sharper here.

Totally Charming has been in good form on the all-weather this year. Looked progressive when winning at Lingfield in March. If he proves to be as good on turf as the synthetics, he won’t be far away off 4lb higher.

3:10 – Dahlbury Coronation Cup (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) – 1m 4f

I previewed the Coronation Cup in Wednesday column, so I won’t cover old ground again. Last year’s winner Pyledriver is the one to beat but I’m going to take him on with High Definition who can win if he backs up his recent Curragh second.

3:45 – Cazoo Handicap (Class 2) – 1m 2f

Another competitive handicap and can make solid claims for half of the 14 runners. Soto Sizzler loves it around here, not been out of the first two on five starts, winning three of them. The latest of those wins came over C&D in April. The likely strong pace will suit, and the 7-year-old has excellent claims from stall 3.

Moktasaab is seeking the hat trick after wins at Newbury and latterly Goodwood. He looked on the upgrade and should remain competitive off today’s 5lb higher mark. Caradoc was 1 ¼ length behind Moktasaab at Goodwood two starts back. He’s since shown he remain inform when an unlucky in the run 4 length 4^th of 6 at Nottingham 12 -days ago. He gets 5lb from Moktasaab and is entitled to get closer to that one today.

Cap Francais has returned to action in great form. He ended a long losing run when winning at Newmarket and has since gone onto finish a length 2^nd of 7 to Baryshnikov at Chester. The harder they go up front the better for the 6-year-old. He can race off the same mark as at Chester which gives him a serious chance here. Love Is Golden finished 5 ¼ lengths behind Soto Sizzler in April but gets a 6lb pull here. The 4-year-old posted clear to a personal best when a ¾ length 3^rd of 10 at York last month.  Just 1lb higher and looks on a winnable mark.   

4:30 – Cazoo Oaks (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Fillies) (Class 1) – 1m 4f

Emily Upjohn has been a strong favourite for this after her comfortable success in the Group 3 Musidora Stakes at York last time. Her stablemate Nashwa produced a good turn of foot to win at Newbury Listed race last time. I didn’t think she was crying out for 1m 4f at Newbury but if she stays, then this exciting filly has a good chance of giving Hollie Doyle a first classic success. The Gosden yard has won this three times since 2014 and a solid chance of making it four.

Aidan’s Quartet

Aidan O’Brien has won the Oaks six times since 2012 and he has four off the 11 declared runners. Tuesday has placed in the English & Irish 1,000 Guineas and should be suited by the step up to 1m 4f. The pick of Ryan Moore. Concert Hall was ½ length behind her stablemate at the Curragh. Her dam won the Oaks in 2012 so the track and distance should suit her well. I thought she was stronger at the finish than Tuesday last time, although that one is arguably open to more improvement. The Algarve was well behind Emily Upjohn at York and could be used as a pacemaker here.

The final O’Brien runner is Thoughts Of June. With that name she would be a very apt winner of the race. The daughter of Gallileo looked a much-improved filly stepped up to 1m 3 ½ f when making all to beat Above The Curve in the Cheshire Oaks last time. The runner-up has gone onto win a Group 1 at Longchamp so the form of the Chester race looks good. She looked an uncomplicated She's a straightforward filly, capable of better still, ride when making all at Chester and I don’t think we have seen the best of her. I think she’s the overpriced of the Ballydoyle quartet.

Moon De Vega has each way claims

Only one trainer has managed to win the Oaks since 2012 and that’s Ralph Beckett. He saddles Moon De Vega who was 6 ½ lengths behind Thoughts Of June in the Cheshire Oaks. However, she was badly hampered when making her effort 2f out that day. The rain that fell this week is a positive and she has each way claims.

With The Moonlight stormed home to win the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket last time. The time was excellent and the daughter of Frankel is very much in the picture, if the ground continues to dry out and she handles the track.

Verdict: It looks like Gosden & O’Brien shoot out and I will be surprised if they don’t have the winner. Of the Gosden pair, I just prefer Nashwa although she will probably want the ground to dry out further.  I know Thoughts of June got the run of the race at Chester and won’t be able to dominate as she did last time, but I think she’s a got a better chance than her odds suggest. Of the rest Moon De Vega could get into the places at big odds.

Friday Selection:

I have a few fancies on the Epsom card so finding just the one to put up isn’t easy.

Epsom

4:40 – Thoughts Of June – 14/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes.

Good luck with your Friday bets.

John