ITV Racing Tips At Epsom on Oaks Day: Three to follow as fillies take centre stage
Friday brings a brilliant day's racing from Epsom and the ITV Racing cameras are in course in town for The Oaks! The Fillies' Classic is the star attraction, and we have a preview focusing solely on that race available to read, but a wonderful appetiser is coming our way with the sensational five runner renewal of the Coronation Cup too. Here we have gone through the televised action and provided our three best bets...
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14:35 Epsom - Racehorse Lotto Handicap
This looks a tricky race, but not as tricky as the ITV Racing opener at 14:00 that I couldn't make a case for anything in. Favouritism is likely to flip flop multiple times before the loading begins at the start at Epsom, with All The King's Men, Revich, Rhoscolyn and Dutch Decoy all contending to head the market with our selection FANTASTIC FOX. Roger Varian's King Power Racing inmate looks to be being minded, which is something that seems to happen with alarming regularity for this yard in particular, but I am willing to completely ignore his two runs so far this season on ground much too soft for his liking and look instead to the 2022 renewal of this race.
That day Fantastic Fox had to race off a five pound higher mark than he is burdened with here, yet still applied himself well and looked the winner for a long way before finishing third. Revich was in front of him that day but the weight swing should see Fantastic Fox be able to reverse those placings and from a good draw this son of Frankel can hopefully be sent on early by Oisin Murphy and issue a catch me if you can challenge to his rivals. Hopefully none of them answer the call and Varian's charge is back on song back on a sounder surface.
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15:10 Epsom - Coronation Cup
It is not often we are genuinely thrilled to see a prestigious Group One like the Coronation Cup attract just five runners, but when they are the quality of this quintet we racing fans can make an exception. There is a case for all five of this field winning this race, and the German raider Tunnes is probably a shade overpriced, particularly against Hurricane Lane who despite getting back in the winners' enclosure last time out still has a lot to prove for out of form connections. He retains the headgear which I suppose is a plus for his backers.
Emily Upjohn and Westover are co-favourites with plenty of firms and these two Classic placed runners now running as four-year-olds for the first time on British soil clearly could make this a gripping race. However, John Gosden has warned this race is a bit of a fact finding mission with his filly and so on that basis I am happy to leave her alone, while as admirable as Westover is his price of 2/1 seems skinny.
POINT LONSDALE, the Ballydoyle representative out of Derby winner Australia, is still improving and impressed me a lot with his win at Chester. The style in which this classy colt moves indicates he will appreciate better ground so that Chester win on soft can be marked up and I have the suspicion race fitness will see him first home against the big two of Westover and Emily Upjohn. Additionally he is attempting 12 furlongs for the first time, which on breeding and racecourse evidence should suit, so at 7/2, he is worth backing to cause a minor shock for the best team in the business.
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15:45 Epsom - Betfred Handicap
The penultimate race set to be broadcast live on ITV from Epsom on Friday before The Oaks is another tricky looking handicap, but when analysing the horses entered I was surprised to see the handicapper clearly felt very lenient the day he assessed our selection. MARHABA THE CHAMP looked a horse well ahead of his mark at York just a fortnight ago and to see he is only two pounds higher in the weights here means he simply must be backed to rack up a quickfire big race double.
His finishing effort under William Buick impressed me on the Knavesmire and with that partnership renewed his rider can navigate the test Epsom has to offer. Much like the selection in the previous race this is a four year old we didn't see much of at three, but I think he can make up for lost time. There are a host of dangers and one I'd have been keen on if the price held up would've been Toshizou but the price has collapsed for Hollie Doyle's ride, while Cadillac could be a lively outsider if he bounces back to near his best for a shrewd trainer in George Boughey. Maybe today is not the day for that one, however, while I am confident it will be for Marhaba The Champ.
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