With the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas in the books for another year, it’s all eyes on Epsom for the next in the series of Classic contests. Friday 31st May and Saturday 1st June are the dates for the diary, as the cream of the three-year-old Division head to the Surrey venue for the 2024 editions of The Oaks and The Derby.
As is tradition, the fillies are the first to strut their stuff, with the Oaks serving as the centrepiece of a quality Friday card. As ever, Aidan O’Brien boasts an impressive hand in the race, but he is far from the only trainer heading to Epsom with high hopes. Here, we look back at the contenders who have emerged from five key Oaks trials in the build-up to this year’s race.
1,000 Guineas
Winners to Follow Up in the Oaks since 2000 – Three: Kazzia (2002), Minding (2016), Love (2020)
2024 Winner – Elmalka
- Trainer – Roger Varian
- Sire – Kingman
It takes a special horse to possess both the speed for a Guineas and the stamina for an Oaks – as evidenced by the three superstar names to have achieved the double in the current century. However, it seems unlikely that the 2024 heroine will add her name to that illustrious list. Elmalka does not currently hold an Oaks entry, with connections seemingly keen to stick to 1m to 1m2f for now.
Of those to finish behind at Newmarket, Tamfana and Ylang Ylang ran eye-catching Oaks trials when staying on from unpromising positions to grab fourth and fifth. Tamfana can be backed at around 16/1 for the Oaks, whilst Aidan O’Brien’s Ylang Ylang is the general 5/2 favourite for the race.
Pretty Polly Stakes
Winners to Follow Up in the Oaks since 2000 – Three: Ouija Board (2004), Talent (2013), Taghrooda (2014)
2024 Winner – Friendly Soul
- Trainer – John & Thady Gosden
- Sire – Kingman
Taghrooda completed the Pretty Polly/Oaks double for John Gosden in 2014, but Friendly Soul almost certainly won’t repeat the trick. The French Oaks was mentioned as the likely target on the back of her solid success by a length and a half but, following an unsteerable last-of-nine effort in the Musidora Stakes, the daughter of Kingman has serious questions to answer.
Cheshire Oaks
Winners to Follow Up in the Oaks since 2000 – Two: Light Shift (2007), Enable (2017)
2024 Winner – Forest Fairy
- Trainer – Ralph Beckett
- Sire – Waldgeist
Ralph Beckett won the Oaks twice in six years with Look Here (2008) and Talent (2013). He hasn’t tasted Oaks success since but will head into the 2024 edition with high hopes. The first Beckett filly to throw her name into the mix is this daughter of 2019 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero, Waldgeist. Despite struggling with the Chester turns, Forest Fairy knuckled down well in the straight to run down Aidan O’Brien’s Port Fairy close home. Appearing to boast stamina as her strong suit, her Epsom claims may be enhanced if conditions are testing on the day. At around 11/1, Forest Fairy is the shortest price of Beckett’s five Oaks entries.
Lingfield Oaks Trial
Winners to Follow Up in the Oaks since 2000 – One: Anapurna (2019)
2024 Winner – You Got To Me
- Trainer – Ralph Beckett
- Sire – Nathaniel
Three days after Forest Fairy’s Cheshire Oaks success, stablemate You Got To Me rubberstamped her credentials when showing an admirable attitude to land the Lingfield Oaks Trial. Toughing it out from the front, having made all of her own running, she was coming back to the field at the line but displayed plenty of guts to hang on by half a length.
The big eyecatcher from the Lingfield Oaks trial was the Aidan O’Brien filly Rubies Are Red. Having the best part of ten lengths to make up as they turned for home, the daughter of Galileo finished like an express train to grab an improbably second. If able to overcome her tendency to hang left-handed, she has a solid chance of going one better at Epsom. Rubies Are Red is the 4/1 second favourite in most lists, whilst You Got To Me can be backed at 16/1.
Musidora Stakes
Winners to Follow Up in the Oaks since 2000 – Three: Sariska (2009), Snowfall (2021), Soul Sister (2023)
2024 Winner – Secret Satire
- Trainer – Andrew Balding
- Sire – Advertise
With Friendly Soul bombing out so spectacularly, this year’s Musidora Stakes threw up a shock result. Sent off at 22/1 in a seven-runner field, the market didn’t expect much from Andrew Balding’s Secret Satire, but the filly belied those odds with a huge career-best effort. Travelling smoothly just off the pace, she quickened up well under Oisin Murphy to score by a widening two lengths.
Being by the Group 1 winning sprinter Advertise, and out of a mare who was at her best over 1m2f, the step up to 1m4f is the big question mark ahead of Epsom. However, she hit the line strongly at the end of the Musidora’s 1m2½f trip, and connections will head to Epsom with hope. Secret Satire remains unfancied by the compilers, who make her a general 20/1 chance.