'Punters have latched on' - Ylang Ylang now red-hot favourite to give Aidan O'Brien more Oaks glory

Ylang Ylang is now the red-hot favourite to give Aidan O'Brien more Betfred Oaks (4.30) glory having been strongly backed on Friday morning.

The daughter of Frankel had been a 7-4 shot overnight but has tightened into 6-4 to provide O'Brien with a seventh Oaks success in the last ten years. He last struck in the Classic with Tuesday two years ago.

Ylang Ylang was a Group 1 winner as a juvenile and made her comeback when a close fifth in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket this month. She is one of two runners in the race for the Ballydoyle trainer, with Rubies Are Red also taking her chance.

Ylang Ylang is now 6-4 with Ladbrokes and its spokesperson Nicola McGeady said: "Ylang Ylang has well and truly pulled away from the rest of the Oaks field this morning and is the one punters have latched on to. Of the others, we are seeing each-way support for Dance Sequence."

The Dermot Weld-trained Ezeliya is next best in the betting at 11-2, with Forest Fairy also supported into 6-1 and is one of four Oaks runners for Ralph Beckett.

Dance Sequence (William Buick) runner-up in the Nell Gwyn Stakes earlier this yearCredit: Edward Whitaker

Dance Sequence has also been popular among punters this morning and is being backed to give Charlie Appleby and William Buick their first win in the Betfred Oaks (4.30).

The daughter of Dubawi has been beaten in two starts this campaign and must bounce back from a disappointing ninth in the 1,000 Guineas when last seen. However, she is now 12-1, having been as big as 16s overnight.

She attempts to end the John and Thady Gosden and Aidan O'Brien stranglehold on the Oaks, with the last ten runnings going to those yards.

While Dance Sequence is being backed, Rubies Are Red is proving weak in the Oaks market.

The three-year-old, closely related to the high-class Found, is now 9-1, having been a 7-1 shot earlier this morning.

Rubies are Red is yet to win in her career, but caught the eye when second in the Lingfield Oaks Trial on her last start.

Updated at 11.30am

Market movers

4.30: 2. Dance Sequence 12-1 (from 16), 11. Ylang Ylang 6-4 (from 7-4)

Epsom to start on good to soft ground

The two-day Derby meeting will begin on good to soft ground after Epsom escaped the worst of the showers on Thursday.

The track was hit by just 1.8mm of rain on Thursday following no rain on Wednesday. The forecast on Friday is mostly dry with a chance of some light showers.

Speaking just before 8am, clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said: "We did get some rain yesterday but not loads and the main showers skirted us. We've been dry since around 6pm yesterday.

"We're calling it good to soft and it seems fair at the moment. In Flat terms, it's probably on the slower side of good. It'll be 17C today and there's currently a headwind, which is unusual for Epsom."

The jockeys after the opening Woodcote Stakes agreed with the going description, with Hector Crouch describing it as good to soft and Kieran O'Neill saying the same, but on the softer side.

Updated at 2.15pm

Non-runners

3.45: 13. Sonnerie Power 

Read our Friday previews:

2.00 Epsom: 'We’ve got a pretty decent record' - Richard Hannon hopeful of adding another Woodcote victory with promising New Charter 

2.35 Epsom: 'He's been in fantastic form this year' - trainer quotes and analysis for a competitive handicap on ITV at Epsom 

3.10 Epsom: Does Emily Upjohn retain her ability to upset the boys again in wide-open Coronation Cup? 

3.45 Epsom: 'He’s done a lot at home and he’ll do more with juice in the ground' - key quotes and analysis for competitive handicap 

4.30 Epsom: 'She's never run the distance but I think it will be ok' - trainer and jockey quotes for an open-looking Betfred Oaks 

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