Friday Racing Cheat Sheet: Best bets for Oaks day at Epsom

• Friday Racing Cheat Sheet for Epsom Oaks day

• Get our tipsters' best bets and ambassador insight

• Tips for Oaks 2025 in Betfair experts' special focus

• New Betfair tipster Sam Turner's best bets for Epsom

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Friday at Epsom horse racing tips and insight

Epsom, 14:05 - Mark Milligan: Back Havana Hurricane in the Woodcote 

Mark Milligan:  "It's Oaks day at Epsom and ITV are covering six of the seven races and the first contest of interest from a betting perspective is the 6f Woodcote Stakes for two-year-olds.

"Charlie Appleby and William Buick are always to be feared in this type of contest and they team up with recent Haydock scorer Maximized, who cost at £720k at the recent breeze-ups.

"He won in good style on that debut despite looking to be the stable second string on both jockey bookings and betting, travelling nicely before settling things with a minimum of fuss in the final furlong. Maximized looked a little green that day and will almost certainly improve, but Epsom is a difficult test for one who maybe still has a bit of growing up to do and the time of that win was nothing flash.

"I prefer the claims of Havana Hurricane, who himself created a big impression when winning first time up and hails from a stable that won this race in 2023. That form was franked by the second Logi Bear going in next time and that one reopposes here, but it's hard to see how he reverses the form, seemingly beaten fair and square on the day.

"With plenty of progression likely, Havana Hurricane looks a solid choice against Godolphin's favourite."

Epsom, 15:15 - Mark Milligan:  Show of Defiance from Varian runner

Mark Milligan:  "Mutaawid isn't passed over lightly, but I'm going to side with Roger Varian's Defiance, who himself could be the type to bag a good prize this term and the stable like to target this race having won it three times in the past.

"He'd shaped really well when second over this C&D in the Blue Riband Trial at this track on his return in 2024 before seemingly finding his stamina stretched in the Lingfield Derby Trial next time. Defiance's only other start last term came when down the field in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he clearly wasn't right but was probably flying too high in any case.

"He's been given plenty of time since then and has also been gelded as he makes his handicap debut, while the drop back to 1m 2f looks right up his alley. There could be plenty more to come from Defiance and I'm really keen on his chances from what looks a fair opening mark of 99."

The Oaks 2025 special focus

Epsom, 16:00 - Kevin Blake: Back Revoir @ 10/1 to reach next level 

Kevin Blake: "Revoir is a good-moving filly, but handled testing ground well enough on her debut that the amount of rain that falls shouldn't bother her either way. Her stride mechanics are also typical of the average Oaks winner. It goes without saying that she will need to find substantial improvement to lift her form to the level of a typical Oaks winner, but she very much has the scope to do so.

"Indeed, there is an eerie similarity between Revoir and Look Here who won the Oaks for Beckett in the same silks in 2008. She came into the race rated just 94 having made a winning debut in a backend two-year-old maiden and had one other run prior to the Oaks, finishing a never-nearer second in the Lingfield Oaks Trial. She duly took her form to another level in the Oaks and the hope is that Revoir, whose granddam is a half-sister to Look Here, will be able to do something similar 17 years on."

Epsom, 16:00 -  Sam Turner: Qilin Queen merits each-way bet

Sam Turner: "Qilin Queen arguably lacks the scope and progression of her old adversary [Revoir], but her yard is in rampant form at present, and she simply wasn't quick enough to lay up in the Pretty Polly behind Falakeyah given the way the track was riding, albeit she did keep on gamely out of the Dip.

"She looked a happier horse dominating at Newbury before rallying gamely late on under Hollie Doyle and her cadence data and breeding suggests an extra couple of furlongs could induce further improvement for a stable that can barely put a foot wrong at present."

Epsom, 16:00 -  Katie Midwinter: Desert Flower leads 1-2-3 prediction

Katie Midwinter: "Desert Flower has proven to be in a league of her own among this current crop of fillies, with the form of her 1000 Guineas success already taking a significant boost. Whilst she must prove she is as effective over this extra half-a-mile, there isn't a standout contender from her rivals in the field that has proven Group One form.

Many fillies in the line-up will almost certainly improve with time and Whirl could be the leading contender for Ballydoyle, whilst Wemightakedlongway can put in a bold bid from the front but will likely be outclassed by the talented favourite. The latter, representing Joseph O'Brien, makes each-way appeal at double-figure odds and shouldn't be underestimated, particularly if she gets her own way out in front.

Prediction:

1. Desert Flower

2. Wemightakedlongway

3. Whirl

Epsom, 16.35 - Sam Turner: Crucis can gain Moore success

Sam Turner:  "Some sustained pre-meeting watering and one or two hefty showers prior to Oaks Day could combine to serve up easy ground for two days of enthralling action at Epsom.

"One horse who won't be inconvenienced if conditions deteriorate is Alpha Crucis who appears to have had this race as a target ever since a creditable eighth in the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster back in March.

"The selection hasn't been since, but that is no issue as the son of dual Derby winner Australia has won following absences of 130 and 171 days so a break from action is probably a positive.

"Every drop of rain that hits Epsom is too, with Alpha Crucis boasting two successes on heavy ground at Goodwood last year, while he was also runner-up on his sole previous outing at this track a couple of springs ago which is encouraging.

"As is the fact Jason Watson is back on board as his figures when partnering the five-year-old read 12135414 so the signs look promising for a big show from the duo here." 

Now read The Derby: Sam Turner's runner-by-runner guide and 1-2-3 tips for the Epsom Classic