2024 Betfred Oaks at Epsom: the runners, the odds, the verdict

Twelve runners go to post for the Betfred Oaks (4.30 Epsom, Friday) with Ylang Ylang heading the betting for Aidan O'Brien. The master of Ballydoyle has won six of the last ten runnings of the famous Classic, with John Gosden training the other four. Dermot Weld will be hoping to break that trend with his talented filly Ezeliya, while Ralph Beckett sends out four as he looks to win the race again after success with Talent (2013) and Look Here (2008).

The verdict for the 2024 Betfred Oaks and our 1-2-3 prediction

By Richard Austen, Spotlight editor

1. Ylang Ylang

2. Ezeliya

3. Forest Fairy

The Oaks has been won by either the O'Brien or Gosden stables in each of the last ten years and, while the Gosdens lack a representative this time, Aidan O'Brien looks set to taste success again thanks to YLANG YLANG (nap), who has done well enough to be clear top-rated judged on her performances over 1m and looks set for markedly better now that she steps up in trip. Rubies Are Red is a strong-staying second string for the same stable, following her fast finish in the Lingfield Oaks Trial. The biggest danger to the selection, however, may come from Ireland in the shape of Dermot Weld's Ezeliya, who looks such a strong candidate for 1m4f. Ralph Beckett was the last trainer to win this Classic before the Gosden and O'Brien stables established their iron grip and he has four runners in this year's bid to snatch it back, with Forest Fairy perhaps the best of them given her potential, although he also has the Lingfield winner You Got To Me.

Ylang Ylang16:30 Epsom

View Racecard

Jky: Ryan Moore Tnr: A P O'Brien

2024 Oaks at Epsom free bets: exclusive Ladbrokes offer

2024 Betfred Oaks runners and odds: the full list of horses for Epsom

1 Caught U Looking

Trainer: Noel Meade
Jockey: Colin Keane
Draw: 1
Forecast odds: 25-1

Spotlight comment: Second win as a two-year-old came with a late bid in a Curragh Group 3 (7f, soft) before she disappointed in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket (1m, soft); while improvement was resumed in Group 3 at Navan (1m2f, good to yielding) five weeks ago, three others headed by Ezeliya took her measure; has two lengths to find with the winner but, by Derby winner Harzand, may well stay.

Caught U Looking16:30 Epsom

View Racecard

Jky: Colin Keane Tnr: Noel Meade

2 Dance Sequence

Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Jockey: William Buick
Draw: 2
Forecast odds: 16-1

Spotlight comment: All four starts have been at the Newmarket tracks; 2-2 as a juvenile, including a soft-ground Group 3 in October, and she stayed on to go down by a neck in 7f Group 3 Nell Gwyn on reappearance; every chance 2f out in the 1,000 Guineas (1m, good; 13-2) so ending up ninth of 16 was disappointing and she again hung under pressure; plenty to prove after that even though stamina can be found in her pedigree.

Dance Sequence16:30 Epsom

View Racecard

Jky: William Buick Tnr: Charlie Appleby

3 Ezeliya

Trainer: Dermot Weld
Jockey: Chris Hayes
Draw: 5
Forecast odds: 9-2

Spotlight comment: Dam was third in the Irish Oaks and is from a famous family; won a maiden at Cork (1m, soft to heavy) in September and found further serious improvement, again getting on top late on, when reappearing in Group 3 at Navan (1m2f, good to yielding) five weeks ago; looks sure to stay 1m4f and can probably improve for it; no surprise if she is a serious player.

Ezeliya16:30 Epsom

View Racecard

Jky: Chris Hayes Tnr: D K Weld

4 Forest Fairy

Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Jockey: Rossa Ryan
Draw: 4
Forecast odds: 7-1

Spotlight comment: By Arc winner Waldgeist out of German 10.5f winner who's half-sister to useful 1m6f winner; stormed clear in novice at Wolverhampton (1m4f, all-weather) in February and found space just in time to follow up by a head in the Listed Cheshire Oaks at Chester (11.3f, good); better than the bare result last time and needs respect for a dual Oaks-winning trainer who runs four in this race.

Forest Fairy16:30 Epsom

View Racecard

Jky: Rossa Ryan Tnr: Ralph Beckett

5 Making Dreams

Trainer: Karl Burke
Jockey: Clifford Lee
Draw: 10
Forecast odds: 66-1

Spotlight comment: Raced ten times as a two-year-old, winning a maiden and two handicaps; ran away with a Group 3 at Saint-Cloud (10.5f, heavy) on reappearance, when it looked as if she would have no problem going further, but she needs to bounce back from a modest show in Group 2 at Longchamp (1m2f, soft) 19 days ago.

Making Dreams16:30 Epsom

View Racecard

Jky: Clifford Lee Tnr: K R Burke

6 Rubies Are Red

Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Jockey: Wayne Lordan
Draw: 6
Forecast odds: 6-1

Spotlight comment: Sister to eight winners, notably Arc heroine Found and the dam of 2021 Oaks winner Snowfall; placed in maidens at Galway (1m, heavy) in October and Leopardstown (1m2f, heavy; made most) in April; Listed Oaks Trial at Lingfield (11.6f, good) was an eyeopener, as she looked like being a well-beaten fifth for most of the straight but closed to go down by half a length to You Got To Me; needs to have learned plenty from that, for coming down this hill, but clearly open to further progress and will be suited by every yard.

Rubies Are Red16:30 Epsom

View Racecard

Jky: Wayne Lordan Tnr: A P O'Brien

7 Seaward

Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Jockey: Silvestre de Sousa
Draw: 9
Forecast odds: 66-1

Spotlight comment: Made all in novice at Ascot (1m, good) in September but was firmly put in her place when 28-1 for Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket (1m, soft) in October; front-running third of six in Listed Cheshire Oaks at Chester (11.3f, good) was better but her stablemate Forest Fairy left the more favourable impression by going past to win.

Seaward16:30 Epsom

View Racecard

Jky: Silvestre De Sousa Tnr: Ralph Beckett

8 Secret Satire

Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Draw: 3
Forecast odds: 12-1

Spotlight comment: Won at Lingfield (1m, all-weather) on second run last October; front-running third in novice at Sandown (1m2f, good to soft) in April was better form and winning the Group 3 Musidora at York (10.2f, good) was much better; challenged over two furlongs out in the latter and kept on strongly to win by two lengths, having failed to settle in the first two furlongs, which poses slightly mixed messages for this longer trip but the runner-up has given the form a more solid look by winning a Listed race since; not dismissed.

Secret Satire16:30 Epsom

View Racecard

Jky: Oisin Murphy Tnr: Andrew Balding

9 Treasure

Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Jockey: James Doyle
Draw: 11
Forecast odds: 14-1

Spotlight comment: By Mastercraftsman out of a maiden half-sister to 1m2f Group 1 winners Mandaean and Wavering; justified favouritism in a maiden at Nottingham (1m, heavy) in October; 6-1 when beaten just under two lengths in the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial (11.6f, good) three weeks ago and she should come on for that run, but You Got To Me fought her off and Rubies Are Red went past her, so there is major work for her to do.

Treasure16:30 Epsom

View Racecard

Jky: James Doyle Tnr: Ralph Beckett

10 War Chimes

Trainer: David Menuisier
Jockey: Tom Marquand
Draw: 7
Forecast odds: 66-1

Spotlight comment: Won two out of four starts as two-year-old, notably a Listed race at Chantilly (1m1f, heavy) by five lengths in October; not quite at that level back in France this term for a Group 3 (10.5f, very soft) or Group 2 (1m2f, soft), which suggests that she will find this very tough, even if her stamina can be stretched.

War Chimes16:30 Epsom

View Racecard

Jky: Tom Marquand Tnr: David Menuisier

11 Ylang Ylang

Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Draw: 12
Forecast odds: 2-1f

Spotlight comment: Frankel filly who cost 1,500,000gns as a yearling; three wins from five starts as a two-year-old culminated in Group 1 Fillies' Mile success at Newmarket (soft) where she got up close home after trouble in running; 5-1 for the 1,000 Guineas there (good) on reappearance and made steady inroads from off the pace to go down by a length in fifth; seemed to be crying out for a longer trip in those 1m races and tops this field on those two pieces of form.

Ylang Ylang16:30 Epsom

View Racecard

Jky: Ryan Moore Tnr: A P O'Brien

12 You Got To Me

Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Jockey: Hector Crouch
Draw: 8
Forecast odds: 10-1

Spotlight comment: Won at Kempton (1m, all-weather) in September before never-nearer fifth in Listed race at Newmarket (1m, heavy); well backed for Listed Oaks Trial at Lingfield (11.6f good) three weeks ago, showing plenty of dash to set up a clear lead, then serious battling qualities to see off two challengers (including Treasure) before Rubies Are Red arrived late to be beaten half a length; that was a marked advance but she needs to build on that too.

You Got To Me16:30 Epsom

View Racecard

Jky: Hector Crouch Tnr: Ralph Beckett

• 4.30 Epsom, Friday: Betfred Oaks racecard and betting

Get £40 in free bets with Ladbrokes this weekend

Ladbrokes are offering new customers £40 in free bets to use on the big races at Epsom this weekend.

You can follow these simple steps outlined below to grab £40 in free bets to place on the big races this weekend. It's fast, secure and straightforward.

1. Head over to Ladbrokes through this link and click the 'Join Here' button
2. Sign up for an account and create your username and password
3. Place a qualifying bet of minimum £10 at odds of 1-2 or greater
4. Receive 4 x £10 free bets for use on sports

Ladbrokes betting sign-up offer: the key terms and conditions

It's worth taking a few minutes to read through the terms and conditions associated with the new player promotion before signing up. Doing so will help you get a better grasp of the details of the 2024 Ladbrokes betting offer and what's expected of you as a new player.

• 18+
• New UK & ROI customers
• Offer ends 31/05/24
• Minimum first deposit £10 and place win or each-way bet within 14 days of account registration at minimum odds of 1-2 to get 4 x £10 free bets
• Restrictions and T&Cs apply

Read these next:

Confirmed runners and riders for the 2024 Betfred Oaks at Epsom on Friday 

Who will win the 2024 Betfred Oaks at Epsom based on previous trends? 

Should you back or avoid these four favourites at Epsom's Derby festival? 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.

Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators that our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing.