Friday 31st May sees the 2024 flat campaign roll round to the next Classic contest on the menu, as the Epsom Oaks provides the headline act on the opening day of the much anticipated Derby Meeting.
Following weeks of speculation regarding who the powerful Godolphin and Ballydoyle operations would send in pursuit of the prize and just how many fillies Ralph Beckett was prepared to run, we now have the answers, with the final field of 12 runners and riders confirmed on Wednesday morning.
Just One for the Boys in Blue
Despite their immense global success, Godolphin have just the one Epsom Oaks win to their name – coming back in 2002 when Frankie Dettori partnered Kazzia to glory for Saeed bin Suroor. That sole success for Godolphin is one more than the operation’s current number one trainer, with Charlie Appleby yet to break his duck in the Oaks.
Bidding to change that in 2024 is the yard’s sole entry, Dance Sequence. A perfect two from two in her juvenile campaign, she is yet to hit those heights this term, with her latest outing seeing her weaken into seventh in the 1,000 Guineas. With the daughter of Dubawi a general 25/1 to shot, the compilers suspect that Appleby may be left to wait for another year.
O’Brien Sends Two
Successful 10 times in total, including three victories in the past four years, many punters will be happy to place their faith in Aidan O’Brien. This year, the Ballydoyle maestro provides a choice of two regally bred fillies in the shape of Ylang Ylang and Rubies Are Red.
The Frankel filly Ylang Ylang is the more established performer of the two, having finished nicely into fifth in the 1,000 Guineas and landed the Group 1 Fillies Mile last season. However, Rubies Are Red arguably brings more potential and went into many notebooks when finishing second from an impossible position in the Lingfield Oaks Trial. The oddsmakers are understandably much warmer on the chances of the O’Brien duo, with Ylang Ylang the clear favourite across the board at around 2/1, followed by Rubies Are Red at a general 7/2.
Beckett Mob Handed
If Hampshire handler Ralph Beckett doesn’t win the 2024 Oaks, it won’t be due to a lack of effort, with 33% of the field hailing from his Kimpton operation. Successful with Look Here (2008) and Talent (2013), Beckett will hope to make it three with one of Forest Fairy, You Got To Me, Treasure, or Seaward.
Having won the Cheshire Oaks and Lingfield Oaks Trial, respectively, Forest Fairy (general 8/1) and You Got To Me (general 14/1) bring the strongest form claims, but there may be improvement to come from Treasure (general 8/1), who goes in the colours of The King, and Seaward (general 66/1), who has reportedly been showing all the right signs at home.
Others To Note
Of the others, only two are priced below the 50/1 mark. Of that duo, Dermot Weld’s Ezeliya (general 4/1) is rated as the most likely to prevail, having easily landed a Group 3 contest on her seasonal return. Andrew Balding’s Secret Satire isn’t as respected in the market at around 14/1, but she is also a Group 3 winner, having burst a bubble or two when causing a shock in the Musidora Stakes. All things considered, a fascinating edition of Epsom’s oldest Classic awaits.
