By Bill Esdaile
FRIDAY’s Oaks (4.30pm) could well be run on testing ground if the amount of rain that’s forecast does hit Epsom Downs.
That’s sure to be music to the ears of connections of Ylang Ylang, who has shown all of her best form to date on a soft surface.
She wasn’t disgraced in the 1000 Guineas last time, and I can see her improving for this step up in trip, so she rates the one to beat, but I’ve a suspicion that she could be meeting a rapidly improving filly in EZELIYA.
Irish master trainer Dermot Weld has only won the Oaks once, when Lester Piggott rode Blue Wind to success in 1981, but he looks to have a major chance of a long-awaited second success.
This daughter of Dubawi has only had three starts, finishing last season with a convincing win on heavy ground over a mile at Cork, and reappeared when looking to relish the step up to 10 furlongs to claim Group Three honours at Navan.
The filly she beat that day has since run a decent race in the Irish 1000 Guineas, so the form looks of value.
Rain will clearly be of no concern to her, and she should stay well, being related to Gold Cup winners Enzeli and Estimate.
At around 4/1, I make her the play against the favourite.
The opening Woodcote Stakes (2.00pm) often throws up a good two-year-old and I liked the look of Ralph Beckett’s MEGALITHIC at 7/1 each-way.
He was smashed in the betting ahead of his debut at Salisbury, eventually being sent off the 13/8 favourite, and ran with plenty of promise to finish third despite being green.
He will have learnt plenty from that, and there should be lots of improvement to come now stepping up to six furlongs.
POINTERS FRIDAY
Megalithic e/w 2.00pm Epsom
Ezeliya 4.30pm Epsom
