Epsom Oaks Tips: Savethelastdance to stamp her authority at Epsom

To racing fans and the casual sporting enthusiast alike there is one race synonymous with Epsom; The Derby. However, for centuries the race for Fillies over the same course and distance has taken place a day beforehand and this Classic, The Oaks, is a race connections of every filly born dream of winning. Here we have tasked Billy Grimshaw with digging through the eleven strong field for the clash between some of the best middle distance fillies around and provide us with his idea of the winner...

The Oaks looked a wide open race at the beginning of this season, and punters would have been able to get any price they liked about the current 11/10 favourite SAVETHELASTDANCE before her seasonal debut. Sent off at 20/1, she was seriously impressive back in early April when defeating her stablemate Boogie Woogie by just over 2 lengths at Leopardstown.

This was a marked step forward from her sole juvenile performance when she looked very green and eventually finished fifth. However, few could have expected her to take another leap forward as great as she did when trouncing a decent looking field at Chester in the Cheshire Oaks. She won that race by a scarcely believable twenty two lengths and Ryan Moore was noted to be waxing lyrical about her staying prowess in the post race excitement.

Moore is not one to go overboard so that effusive praise is worth heeding, and although there will be detractors throwing the fact the Cheshire Oaks was won on heavy ground at her, there is plenty in her pedigree to suggest she will enjoy a sounder surface which Epsom is sure to throw up. If she does, or indeed if she matches her Chester performance, then this race is an open and shut case to my eye. Savethelastdance will win, she should be odds-on and I am recommending backing her with confidence to deliver Ballydoyle yet another Classic. 

There didn't look to be too much competition for the selection and hot favourite before York, but one set of connections worth keeping onside in this race in particular is Gosden and Dettori. Step forward Soul Sister, somehow sent off 18/1 in the Musidora and a decisive winner on the Knavesmire. She has been backed into sole second favouritism and could shorten further as the general public realise this is Frankie's last Oaks ride, but that would just make the price on our pick even better so fingers crossed it comes to pass.

The third favourite at the time of writing is another Gosden inmate in Running Lion, a member of the painfully small crop of Roaring Lion progeny. She looks a game filly and if she is anything like her old man will be packed with talent and heart, but I'd be slightly worried about her seeing out this trip if the race becomes a stamina test. With Ballydoyle housing the short priced favourite who will love a truly run race, you can guarantee the pace will be strong.

The rest of the field look well held by the top three at this stage, with perhaps Eternal Hope for Appleby and Buick the exception. Yard form is a concern on that front, though, while Heartache Tonight brings some decent French form and could be the each-way play if one of the big three fail to fire. I'll be leaving this race from an each-way angle, however, and be banking on Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore with the best horse in the race. I do think this could be a very special filly indeed (I have taken some of the double figures for the Arc hoping that the ground is soft again at Longchamp as she has proven she loves) so I have to be on team Savethelastdance here!