Epsom Oaks Race Guide

The Epsom Oaks is one of the most important races in the English flat racing calendar. This is the third of the five English Classics, and is run at Epsom Downs racecourse in Surrey during the Derby Festival. It is open only to 3-year old thoroughbred fillies.

Run over a distance of 1 mile 4 furlongs and 10 yards, the Epsom Oaks attracts a strong field of thoroughbred runners, and offers a generous purse of £375,000. All runners in the Epsom Oaks are required to carry 9 stone in extra weight.

The Epsom Oaks was first run in 1779, and was conceived of and planned by the Earl of Derby. The Epsom Oaks is named after the Earl of Derby’s residence at Carshalton, and was first won by one of the Earl’s own horses – Bridget.

Epsom Oaks Betting

[odds]http://odds.gambling-guru.com/horse-racing/antepost/epsom-oaks|Epsom Oaks[/odds]

Epsom Oaks betting markets tend to open at the completion of the early season Guineas Classics. The 1,000 Guineas is an extremely useful guideline for Epsom Oaks betting, with approximately one third of the racehorses that place at the 1,000 Guineas going on to win the Epsom Oaks.

Punters also need to look out for runners that have participated in the Musidora Stakes, with one in 5 winners of this race going on to win at the Epsom Oaks. It may be worth noting that in recent years Irish 1,000 Guineas winners have also performed well in the Epsom Oaks, winning the race in 1998 and 2001.

Other trial races to look out for when betting on the Epsom Oaks include the Lingfield Oaks Trial (which has produced three Epsom Oaks winners), the Pretty Polly Stakes, Cheshire Oaks and the Fillies’ Trial Stakes. Some good betting opportunities on the Fillies’ Triple Crown are also available prior to the running of the Epsom Oaks.

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Epsom Oaks Winners

Only a handful of Epsom Oaks winners have gone on to win the Fillies’ Triple Crown, with Oh So Sharp being the last racehorse to win the Fillies’ Triple Crown in 1985. More recently Ouija Board achieved an impressive career treble by winning the Epsom Oaks, Irish Oaks and Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Henry Cecil has all but made the Epsom Oaks his own during the last two decades. The veteran trainer has fielded seven Epsom Oaks winners since 1985 (including Oh So Sharp), and accomplished an impressive encore by winning the 2007 Epsom Oaks with Light Shift.