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The Oaks 2012 Friday 1st June

The two day festival at Epsom marks the start of Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee and what a truly superlative way of marking it! The Oaks and Derby are both the most important contest for our juveniles as forms part of the triple crown, it is simply the biggest test and most prestigious race in our flat racing calendar.

The Queen has already had a winner in the shape of Carlton House who ran an absolute blinder to land the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown last night and is one to watch this season, looks like he's progressed hugely this year.

On with the card...

1.40pm Princess Elizabeth Stakes 1m 114y

The opening race is a very competitive group 3 fillies race, its always a great start to proceedings and you can slip the proverbial tissue paper between most of these. However, Andrew Balding could be in for the weekend of his life and I have to say in my opinion his filly out of Cape Cross is certainly the most appealing and progressive. LAY TIME has progressed nicely and is the less exposed filly her. Her form reads well, particularly when you look at her 4th at Sandown last August, that form when losing around two lengths to Theyskens Theory is franked by that horse running very well in a high class race the Gadren City Stakes at Belmont Park that horse finished 2nd and that form looks hard to counter. LAY TIME will enjoy the ground and although will go off favourite looks the classier and more genuine  filly.

2.15pm 1m 2f Handicap

Stuart Kittow has a standing dish of a horse around Epsom whos diet seem's to evolve around the cambers, unbalancing, galloping track that is the beautiful Surrey racecourse. RESURGE always puts up solid performances at this track and proven form here is always undoubtedly a huge positive. This horse will go on any ground and is in excellent form. He's running off a similar mark to twelve month's ago when landing this prize and Ian Mongan looks like he has the peach ride in this competitive handicap.

2.50pm Investec Diomed Stakes 1m 114y

WORTHADD will be the short priced favourite on the day and is hard to see anything else getting close to this Sir Mark Prescott trained horse has a progressive profile even at the older age of five. He was second in last years Locinge Stakes and won a competitive group 2 race in Italy thereafter. He also won in Baden Baden over the seven furlong trip. Is in a different league to these in my opinion.

3.25pm Investec Mile 1m

Very much a conundrum, to weigh up this race it's important to find a horse which is potentially out of the handicappers grasp, is in good form and who will handle this kind of track. I'm looking in the direction of John Gosden and the William Buick partnership. UNEX EL GRECO before his last run wouldnt be given much of a squeak in this race but because I was impressed by him staying on in the closing stages in a race that has lots of form connections with other horses that go head to head in this race and has a nice each way chance.
Due to the numbers in this race I'm also tipping MAWAKEEF this Azamour gelding also ran well in the same race last time out at Newmarket and looks massively overpriced in my view, that could be down to the trainer but he is a consistent type who will enjoy the ground and looks set to put up a solid each way performance.

4.05pm Investec Oaks 1m 4f

Ballydoyle line up quite a few here for Aiden O Brien and I wouldn't put you off backing one of his today. Maybe is now joint favourite with some firms for my chosen filly and I'm against the Ballydoyle stable I'm afraid. Its the John Gosden and William Buick partnership for me again THE FUGUE this gorgeous Dansili filly was hard held in her last victory she has stamina in her breeding from the Dam side and judging on her last performance she will get the extra two furlongs no problem. The other big positive is that earlier last month she was ground dependent as she needs quick going...she's gonna get that and coupled with her turn off foot I think she'll be in with a huge chance. I'm also a huge fan of William Buick a cracking jockey who knows he's way around Epsom.

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