TEMPLEGATE delivers his complete guide, tip and 1-2-3 prediction for the awesome Epsom Oaks below.
Nine of the finest three-year-old fillies in the land go to post for the prestigious Group 1 run over 1m4f.
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He goes through each of the runners, rates them out of five stars and delivers his big-race tip at the bottom.
Aidan O’Brien has dominated the Classic trials – but one legendary jockey reckons this Oaks runner is an absolute good thing.
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Templegate’s Oaks runner-by-runner guide and ratings
DESERT FLOWER 4
FLOWER in bloom. Charlie Appleby’s filly has yet to taste defeat in five starts and kept that run going with a smooth success in the 1,000 Guineas on comeback.
She was a brilliant juvenile and took the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile by five lengths after the May Hill at Donny.
There’s little doubt she’s the best filly in the race with stamina the only question mark.
She wasn’t stopping at Newmarket and isn’t a keen sort so isn’t likely to pull her chance away.
At first glance, her breeding does seem to scream a mile and the softish ground may play to more of a stayer.
Despite that her class will take her close under William Buick who is a big-race jockey.
ELWATEEN 5
TEEN dream. We have only seen this daughter of Dubawi twice but she has created a big impression.
She won at Kempton on debut in August before Saeed Bin Suroor put her away.
Her next outing was a really promising fourth in the 1,000 Guineas where she was definitely doing her best work in the closing stages.
She was a little green when the pace hotted up and she will have learned plenty before being supplemented for this test.
Her dam stayed 1m2f strongly in soft ground so there’s every chance she’ll relish this trip.
Saeed is something of a forgotten trainer these days but he’s got two Oaks wins from his halcyon days so knows what it takes to win.
GISELLE 3
ELLE of a filly. She only had two rivals to beat in the Lingfield Oaks Trial on comeback last month but did it by nine easy lengths.
She handled the track so should be fine at Epsom too. She is one of the few in the field who has no stamina doubts and there’s a lot more to come.
She scored on dead ground as a juvenile and has a lively each-way chance for Aidan O’Brien.
GO GO BOOTS 2
KICK off Boots. Considering Oisin Murphy is on board for the Gosdens, she is big price for all she has a bit to find on form.
Her third in the Musidora at York last time was far from a disgrace.
She looked very much a work in progress on the Knavesmire and ran around a bit in the closing stages.
That’s not what you want to see before tackling tricky Epsom and she looks more suited to the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot next month.
MINNIE HAUK 3
HAUK has to fly. Ryan Moore’s choice of the Aidan O’Brien trio crossed the line with plenty left when winning the Cheshire Oaks on comeback.
She will definitely come on for that run and is guaranteed to see out the extra furlong here.
Handling Chester often means Epsom will be fine too.
On the negative side, she didn’t beat a lot on the Roodee so will need to fine more form-wise although O’Brien runners often take a big step up for a run.
QILIN QUEEN 2
QUEEN won’t be crowned. She is progressing nicely for Ed Walker and battled all the way to win a Newbury Listed race last time.
That was on the nod from Revoir who also lines up today.
That was over 1m2f when she went from the front and just held on so stamina may be an issue.
Either way, it’s a fair leap to be winning a Classic on current form.
REVOIR 3
REVVED up. The line came a stride too soon when she finished second to Qilin Queen at Newbury last time but Ralph Beckett’s filly looks a hotter prospect.
She came home strongly so should be suited by this step up in distance and has improvement to come after just two starts.
In-form Beckett’s fillies often come on significantly for a run and she’s right in the each-way picture.
WEMIGHTAKEDLONGWAY 2
WAY out. Add an extra star if the ground is riding genuinely soft as she relished testing conditions when winning a Navan Group 3 over 1m2f last time.
That was a big improvement on her effort in the Ballysax on comeback where she looked a mile off Oaks standard.
She has a fair bit to find on form so needs that downpour.
WHIRL 4
GIVE it a Whirl. She may yet prove to be the best of the Aidan O’Brien runners after her easy Musidora win at York last time.
That has been a useful pointer to the Oaks and she had lots of running left at the end of 1m2f so stamina shouldn’t be an issue.
She seems to handle any ground and looks capable of improvement under Wayne Lordan.
Templegate’s Oaks tip and 1-2-3 prediction
SAEED Bin Suroor has got an El of a chance in the £570,000 Betfred Oaks.
ELWATEEN (4.00 Epsom, nap) caught the eye with a staying-on fourth in the 1,000 Guineas and can blossom over this longer trip.
She won’t mind a bit of cut in the ground and can go close at decent odds under Jim Crowley.
Desert Flower showed her class when winning the Guineas at Newmarket and will be hard to beat if lasting home — which isn’t guaranteed on pedigree.
Ryan Moore has chosen Minnie Hauk of the Aidan O’Brien trio but there isn’t much between her, Giselle and Whirl who all have each-way chances.
1st Elwateen
2nd Desert Flower
3rd Whirl
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