The Oaks Epsom RESULT
14 Snow Fairy (R L Moore, 9-1 )
10 Meeznah (T E Durcan, 25-1 )
11 Remember When (J Murtagh, 8-1 )
15 ran
1 Akdarena (K J Manning, 6-1 2nd-fav); 2 Aviate (T P Queally, 7-2 fav);
Distances: Neck; 2 lengths; Winning trainer: E A L Dunlop.
Tote: £12.30; £4.20; £8.50; £3.10; Exacta: £312.10; Swinger: £42.60; Swinger: £44.50; Swinger: £16.30; CSF: £230.28; Tricast: £1,878.58;
NEWS – Freebetting Horse Racing Betting
The Oaks Betting Preview and Odds Comparison
The Derby obviously takes centre stage on Saturday, but on Friday it is the turn of the fillies to compete over an extended 1 mile 4 furlongs across Epsom Downs, with the 231st running of The Oaks. If anything, the fillies’ Classic looks more competitive than the Derby, with 17 entries standing their ground at the latest declaration stage and the leading bookmakers betting 9/2 the field.
Newmarket trainer Henry Cecil has an excellent record in The Oaks, saddling eight winners since 1985 and two in the last 10 years. This year he may be doubly represented by the unbeaten Aviate (9/2 with Totesport, Sporting Bet, Blue Square, Stan James and William Hill) and Timepiece (7/1 with Sporting Bet, Stan James and Ladbrokes). Aviate maintained her unbeaten record at York earlier this month courtesy of a gutsy win in the Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes over 1 mile 2 furlongs. She looked booked for third place with 100 yards to run, but finished fast to snatch victory in the dying strides, suggesting that an extra two furlongs is well within her compass and may indeed bring about some improvement in her. Stable jockey Tom Queally takes the ride, which suggests she is the pick of the Cecil pair.
Timepiece has already been beaten in two Listed races this season, the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket over 1 mile 1 furlong and the Oaks Trial Stakes at Lingfield over 1 mile 3 furlongs. She can perhaps be forgiven her reappearance run, given that most of Henry Cecil’s horses have been needing a run, but although her experience of Lingfield (which is similar in many ways to Epsom) should stand her in good stead she looks short of the required class.
Marcus Tregoning’s Rumoush (6/1 with Coral) won over 1 mile 1 furlong as a 2-year-old and was seventh in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, where she was disadvantaged by racing in the centre of the track. The 1,000 Guineas form has been franked by the winner, Special Duty, who finished second in the Group 1 Poule D’Essai Des Pouliches two weeks later, only to be awarded the race in the stewards’ room once again, so Rumoush looks a player here. She does, of course, have her stamina to prove, which makes her price look a little on the short side.
The once-raced Sajjhaa (7/1 with Sporting Bet, Paddy Power, #Ladbroke and Coral), trained by Michael Jarvis, could still be anything after hacking up by 7 lengths in a Class 5 maiden over 1 mile 2 furlongs at Sandown Park a year ago. She seems sure to stay the extra two furlongs here, but this represents a huge rise in class and she also has her fitness to prove.
Remember When (8/1 with Totesport, Boylesports, Sporting Bet, Blue Square, 888 Sport, Coral and William Hill) is the bets fancied of four Aidan O’Brien entries. Indeed, his other three entries, Awe Inspiring (33/1 with Sporting Bet, Blue Square and 888 Sport), Cabaret (50/1 with Sporting Bet) and Lady Lupus (150/1 with Blue Square and 888 Sport) and cannot seriously be fancied, despite their powerful connections. Remember When, for her part, was beaten just ½ length in the Irish 1,000 Guineas recently and with the Music Show (sixth in the Newmarket equivalent from an unfavourable draw) finishing just ahead of her the form looks reasonably sound. That said, the first five at the Curragh were covered by less than a length, which suggests that the form is nothing out of the ordinary by Group 1 standards.
Aviate, Rumoush and Remember When all look to have realistic chances, but none of them appears to hold outstanding claims and there may be some value to be found amongst the longer prices. Snow Fairy (16/1 with Sporting Bet, Victor Chandler and William Hill), for example, was a decent 2-year-old, winning her maiden and finishing third, beaten just a nose and a short head in the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood last August. However, she appeared to improve for the step up to middle distances when a comfortable 3-length winner of the Listed Height of Fashion Stakes at the same course earlier this month. She obviously needs to take another step forward to win a race of this calibre, but that is not entirely out of the question and she looks excellent value for a place at least. Eddie Ahern, who rode her at Goodwood, is aboard Henry Cecil’s apparent second string Timepiece, but she has the services of reigning champion jockey Ryan Moore.