Epsom Oaks Tips: Timeform's expert verdict

• Timeform's runner-by-runner guide to the Oaks

• Ylang Ylang should be suited by longer trip

• Ezeliya and Forest Fairy the main dangers to Ylang Ylang

Epsom Oaks
16:30 Epsom, Friday
Live on ITV

1. CAUGHT U LOOKING (Noel Meade/ Colin Keane)

Daughter of Derby winner Harzand who won twice last season, including the Group 3 Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh on heavy ground. However, she's hard to make a case for, having finished only sixth behind Ylang Ylang in the Fillies' Mile on her final start last year and fourth to another of her rivals here, Ezeliya, on her reappearance at Navan for all that was a creditable effort.

2. DANCE SEQUENCE (Charlie Appleby/ William Buick)

Looked an exciting prospect for Godolphin when winning both her starts at Newmarket at two, including the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes. However, hasn't made the same impression in her two starts there this spring, not really knuckling down when beaten a neck at odds on by Pretty Crystal in the Nell Gwyn Stakes and fading to finish ninth in the 1000 Guineas. Not certain to relish the big step up in trip, either.

3. EZELIYA (Dermot Weld/ Chris Hayes)

Progressive Aga Khan filly who stayed on well when winning a mile maiden at Cork on soft ground last autumn and relished the extra two furlongs when making a successful reappearance in the Group 3 Salsabil Stakes at Navan on her reappearance, beating Purple Lily by half a length with Caught U Looking further back. Dam was third in the Irish Oaks, so shouldn't be far away with more to come stepping up further in trip.

4. FOREST FAIRY (Ralph Beckett/ Rossa Ryan)

Winner of both her starts, improving from a successful debut over a mile and a half at Wolverhampton in February to follow up in the Cheshire Oaks by a head from Port Fairy. She was value for a bit more than the winning margin after having to wait for a gap but showed a good attitude once getting a clear run. Stamina is proven and looks the pick of Ralph Beckett's four runners from a stable that has won this twice before.

5. MAKING DREAMS (Karl Burke/ Clifford Lee)

Has a very different profile to the rest after a busy two-year-old season in which she was beaten in sellers before winning a maiden and a couple of nurseries. Showed she handles heavy ground when running a career best to win the Group 3 Prix Penelope at Saint-Cloud on her reappearance but failed to back that up under less testing conditions on her latest trip to France so looks up against it.

6. RUBIES ARE RED (Aidan O'Brien/ Wayne Lordan)

Yet to win but placed in all three outings and has progressed each time, notably when staying on strongly from well off the pace to finish a half-length second to You Got To Me in the Oaks Trial at Lingfield last time and likely to have won in a few more strides. Can't afford to get too far back again but has more improvement to make and bred for the job, being a Galileo sister to Arc winner Found and related to her stable's 2021 Oaks winner Snowfall.

7. SEAWARD (Ralph Beckett/ Silvestre de Sousa)

Winner of a novice at Ascot last autumn before being well held in the Fillies' Mile but showed some improvement when third to stablemate Forest Fairy on her return in the Cheshire Oaks after leading until the straight. Stable has others with stronger claims.

8. SECRET SATIRE (Andrew Balding/ Oisin Murphy)

Progressed with each run, including when a 22/1 winner of the Musidora Stakes at York last time by two lengths from Francophone who has won a listed race since. However, that was a steadily-run race with the emphasis on speed, and she'll need to settle better to see out this extra two furlongs, not something that's guaranteed on pedigree as a daughter of sprinter Advertise.

9. TREASURE (Ralph Beckett/ James Doyle)

A rangy filly with scope who's had just the two runs, winning a maiden at Nottingham on soft ground in the autumn and then shaping well upped in trip when fourth to stablemate You Got To Me in the Oaks Trial at Lingfield earlier this month, having every chance entering the final furlong and keeping on. More to find than most on form but very much the type to progress further.

10. WAR CHIMES (David Menuisier/ Tom Marquand)

Won two of her four starts last term under contrasting conditions, a maiden at Haydock and a listed race at Chantilly on much softer ground. Has run creditably in defeat in her two runs back in France this spring, taking a strong hold when finishing in front of Making Dreams in the Group 2 Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp last time, but little to suggest she'll be up to this task.

11. YLANG YLANG (Aidan O'Brien/ Ryan Moore)

Winner of three of her five starts at two, notably the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket when staying on to beat Shuwari half a length. She shaped more like an Oaks filly than a 1000 Guineas candidate on that occasion but ran creditably nonetheless back at Newmarket in the 1000 Guineas whilst running a fine Oaks trial in finishing a never-nearer fifth, less than a length behind winner Elmalka. A daughter of Frankel who has already sired two Oaks winners, Ylang Ylang can become Aidan O'Brien's seventh Oaks winner since 2015.

12. YOU GOT TO ME (Ralph Beckett/ Hector Crouch)

Took her record to two out of three when showing improved form to win the Oaks Trial at Lingfield earlier in the month, going with zest in a clear lead and then finding extra to win by half a length from the strong-finishing Rubies Are Red. Sure to progress again but needs to do so to be involved in the finish.

Timeform's Analyst Verdict:

YLANG YLANG looked ready for further when a promising fifth in the 1000 Guineas and can provide her yard with a seventh Oaks win since 2015. It's 43 years since Dermot Weld broke his Classic duck in this race with Blue Wind but he looks to have found a live contender in Ezeliya, who should relish 1½m. Ralph Beckett in 2013 was the last trainer other than Aidan O'Brien and the Gosdens to taste success in this and Cheshire Oaks winner Forest Fairy looks the pick of his quartet.

Timeform's 1-2-3:

1. Ylang Ylang
2. Ezeliya
3. Forest Fairy

Now Read Ryan Moore: Ylang Ylang's form best on offer by some way ahead of Oaks