The Cazoo Derby Festival is run on Friday (Ladies Day) and Saturday. Watch all the action on GallopTV.
The Gr1 Cazoo Oaks runs on Friday at 17h30 and twelve fillies were declared at final acceptance.
Good to firm ground has been the norm throughout the UK over the last week, but after a heavy hour of rain on Monday evening, Epsom’s clerk of the course Andrew Cooper has declared the ground to be soft, good to soft in places ahead of the Cazoo Derby festival.
“In terms of rain we’ve had 9mm,” Cooper said, “it was a very heavy hour of rain and one small shower earlier in the day.”
“There is a shower risk Wednesday, and then Thursday, Friday and Saturday look dry with temperatures around 20’C.”
The Clarehaven stables of John and Thady Gosden have a strong chance of landing the first prize of £311,905 as they field the top two in the ante-post market – Emily Upjohn (1/1) and Nashwa (7/2).
Emily Upjohn, an imposing daughter of Derby hero Sea The Stars, is the mount of Frankie Dettori and looks the one they all have to beat. Unbeaten in three starts, she was a very easy winner of an Oaks trial – the Gr2 Musidora at York last time by five and a half lengths. Interestingly, none of the field have ever raced on the course, but Emily Upjohn was taken for a canter around Tattenham corner a fortnight ago.
Stable companion Nashwa is described by her jockey Hollie Doyle as “everything you want in a racehorse” ahead of her bid for Oaks glory.
The Frankel filly looks to give Hollie Doyle a realistic chance of becoming the first woman to ride a British Classic winner. The filly has impressed in facile fashion in both her wins at Haydock and Newbury this spring.
The one question that remains unanswered ahead of her appearance at Epsom is whether her stamina will last out on her first start over a mile and a half, but Doyle is optimistic.
She added: “Stepping up into Listed company at Newbury I just wanted to ride her quietly to see how she’d relax and go through the gears and she relaxed beautifully – and was very responsive when I asked her.”
Godolphin is represented by With The Moonlight (Pic – Godolphin)
The Godolphin operation are represented by With The Moonlight. Another daughter of Frankel, she impressed on her seasonal return when winning the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket at the beginning of May where she produced a smart performance in a good time.
With The Moonlight showed much improved form stepped up to a mile and a quarter when given a more positive ride. A step up to a mile and a half in the Oaks could well bring about further improvement which will be needed if she is to provide her in-form trainer Charlie Appleby with further Classic success this season.
Rogue Millennium is currently 16/1 and is the other unbeaten filly in the race. Fledgling trainer Tom Clover bought her at the Shadwell dispersal sale last year. The Dubawi filly is two from two and she handled the tricky Lingfield grass track to win the Oaks Trial in early May. She was supplemented for the Oaks at a cost of £30,000 to her sporting connections and could be involved in the placings.
Aidan O’Brien has four fillies declared with Tuesday and Concert Hall looking the stables leading lights. Jockey bookings have not as yet been finalised, but these two fillies are bred for this race.
Tuesday, by Galileo is a full sister to Oaks winner Minding, whilst Concert Hall is by Dubawi out of Oaks winner Was. They finished second and third behind Homeless Songs in the Gr1 Irish 1,000 Guineas in May and that run would have brought them both on for Epsom. Retainer rider for Coolmore, Ryan Moore’s choice will be of great interest.
