The weekend starts early for racing fans this week. Kicking off on Friday afternoon, the 2025 edition of the Epsom Derby begins with a double dose of Group 1 action. The Coronation Cup sees the crack older performers tackle the famous 1m4f course, with the final seven-runner field featuring no fewer than three Classic winners.
As intriguing as the Coronation Cup is, the clear headline act on the Friday card arrives just over an hour after that contest. Following the 1000 Guineas of May, the Oaks represents the next chance for the most talented three-year-old fillies to grab a slice of Classic glory.
Wednesday morning saw the final declarations for this historic event, with nine fillies standing their ground. The powerful operations of Aidan O’Brien, John & Thady Gosden, and Ralph Beckett are all represented in the final nine. However, it is a Godolphin filly, who already has one Classic win in the bag, is out on her own at the head of the market.
Flower to Bloom Over Longer Trip?
Ahead of any Group 1 contest, unbeaten challengers inevitably draw the eye. Just the one filly boasts an unblemished string of 1s by her name in the 2025 Oaks field, and she goes by the name of Desert Flower.
Having blazed a trail through the juvenile division in 2024, this Godolphin ace headed into the winter months as the clear favourite for the 1000 Guineas. With nothing emerging to challenge that status, Desert Flower duly started as the even money favourite on the day. Sent straight into the lead by William Buick, she gave favourite backers few moments of concern en route to a comfortable 1l success.
| Date | Race | Course | Age | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13/7/24 | Maiden Fillies’ Stakes | Newmarket | 2 | 1st |
| 3/8/24 | Fillies’ Novice Stakes | Newmarket (July) | 2 | 1st |
| 12/9/24 | May Hill Stakes | Doncaster | 2 | 1st |
| 11/10/24 | Fillies’ Mile | Newmarket | 2 | 1st |
| 4/5/25 | 1000 Guineas | Newmarket | 3 | 1st |
With sixth-place finisher Lake Victoria since claiming the Irish 1000 Guineas by an easy 2¼l, there is no reason to question the quality of that Guineas’ performance. However, like many in this field, the daughter of Night Of Thunder does need to prove she stays this far.
Despite that stamina question, Desert Flower is the clear favourite for the 2025 Oaks at a general 6/4 and looks solid value at that price. If handling the additional distance, and most think she will, she has brilliant claims of handing Charlie Appleby and William Buick a first win in the fillies’ showpiece.
Triple Threat from Ballydoyle
Whereas Appleby has yet to claim the Oaks, Aidan O’Brien has landed the prize on a whopping 10 previous occasions, placing him only three victories behind Robert Robson in the all-time Oaks trainer’s table.
As ever, whoever wins the Oaks won’t do so without overcoming a formidable Ballydoyle contingent. In 2025, that challenge numbers three, in the shape of Giselle, Minnie Hauk, and Whirl.
With Giselle winning the Lingfield Oaks Trial, Minnie Hauk claiming the Cheshire Oaks and Whirl coming out on top in the Musidora Stakes, punters initially struggled to separate the trio in the market. However, that all changed with the announcement that Ryan Moore will partner Minnie Hauk, seeing the Frankel filly shorten to 7/2 in the market. Moore and connections do not always get it right of course, but time will tell.
Expected to improve significantly for that success at Chester, she will be fancied by many to at least give the favourite something to think about. For those who believe Moore may have made the wrong decision, Giselle and Whirl can be backed at around 7/1.
Beckett Filly the Best of the Rest
The aforementioned quartet are the only fillies currently available to back at a single-figure price in the 2025 Oaks. With the past nine winners returning an SP of 8/1 or shorter, the remaining five contenders must defy the recent odds trend.
However, the Oaks isn’t entirely averse to a shock result – witness the stunning 50/1 success of Qualify in 2015 – and there is much to like about those unfavoured by the market.
- Revoir – Caught the eye when a close second in the Nottingham Oaks Trial and goes for Ralph Beckett, who claimed the 2008 and 2013 editions
- Elwateen – Thrown into the deep end of the 1000 Guineas on just her second career start, but ran a cracker to go down by just 2¼l in fourth. Connections have stumped up the £30,000 late supplementary entry fee, suggesting they like her chances of performing well
- Qilin Queen – Represents the red-hot Ed Walker yard and mastered Revoir by a short head at Nottingham
- Wemightakedlongway – Joseph O’Brien runner who booked her ticket for this with a win in the Group 3 Salsabil Stakes. Interesting each-way contender, having mastered Minnie Hauk in her Maiden last year
- Go Go Boots – Even the rank outsider of the field has a strong trainer stat on her side. Go Go Boots will need to improve on her third-placed effort in the Musidora Stakes but hails from the Gosden operation, which has claimed three of the past eight editions of this
Will the class of Desert Flower prevail over this longer trip? Can O’Brien make it win number 11? Or could we be in for a shock? The fillies go under starters orders at 4pm on Friday and we can’t wait!