Epsom Oaks betting tips: Dance fancied to maintain O’Brien monopoly

Soul Sister @ 5/2

This daughter of Frankel is another to have emerged from relative obscurity after sprinting clear in the final furlong to win the Musidora Stakes at York by four lengths when sent off as an 18/1 outsider. John Gosden, who now trains alongside son Thady, is the only handler to have broken O’Brien’s monopoly of this contest in recent years, scoring with Enable and then Anapurna in 2019, while Emily Upjohn was an unlucky second 12 months ago after landing the same York prep race. Dettori declared: “She gave me a great feel, travelled well, quickened twice and won by four lengths. I wasn’t really expecting that!”

🏆Musidora Stakes (G3)
2.060 m – 130.000 GBP – for 3yo mares
🇬🇧 York

Soul Sister (IRE)
(Frankel- Dream Peace ,by Dansili)
J : Frankie Dettori
T : John & Thady Gosden
O : Lady Bamfordpic.twitter.com/tktad3Mpny

— 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙𝙍𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 (@WorldRacing1) May 17, 2023

Running Lion @ 11/2

Soul Sister’s stablemate oozed class when landing Newmarket’s Pretty Polly Stakes and delighted her connections when working over just shy of a mile at Epsom’s Derby Festival Gallops Morning. Resurgent rider Oisin Murphy has already claimed Classic glory aboard Mawj in the 1000 Guineas this term and is hoping Running Lion’s stamina holds out to give him a first Oaks triumph. Gosden senior commented: “Both the fillies have a lot of speed and are bred to be mile-and-a-quarter fillies. They’ve never worked together, but they both won their trials well, which is great, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the pair of them.”

🏆Pretty Polly Stakes (Listed)
2.010 m – 50.000 GBP – for 3yo mares
🇬🇧Newmarket

Running Lion (GB)
(Roaring Lion – Bella Nouf, by Dansili)
J : @oismurphy
T :John & Thady Gosden
O : D P Howden
B :The Bella Nouf Partnershippic.twitter.com/ugXU4WwuSj

— 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙𝙍𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 (@WorldRacing1) May 7, 2023

Eternal Hope @ 12/1

Godolphin’s Appleby-trained filly won the Lingfield Oaks Trial on the all-weather, beating O’Brien’s Be Happy by a length and three-quarters. That was just the third run of her career but having impressed connections in a piece of work on Saturday morning, the decision was made to pay a £30,000 supplementary fee. “She’s a lovely filly who started her career late and can only improve,” said jockey William Buick. Alex Merriam, Appleby’s assistant, added: “She picked up well and did it nicely. It would have been lovely to put her on turf, but she’s suited by a sound surface.”

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