2010 EPSOM OAKS LATEST BETTING TIPS

There are some genuinely excellent prices on offer for tomorrow’s big race at Epsom- the 2010 Oaks. We don’t have a single entry listed below 6/1 with Ladbrokes and there are plenty of excellent wagering opportunities on some top-class fillies. Anybody playing the forecast markets is in for some excellent prices, particularly as some of the longer-odds selections look like real spoilers.

I’m calling the 2010 Epsom Oaks the Sheikh showdown as we have Sheikh Ahmed Al-Maktoum saddling his impressive Darley-bred filly Sajjhaa (King’s Best) against Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Shadwell-bred Rumoush (Rahy). These two will be battling for the favourites spot on the toteboard with current betting favourite Aviate (Dansili) owned by Prince Khalid Abdulla.
Sajjhaa is very lightly-raced with only a single turf spin under her belt. She broke her maiden at Sandown two weeks ago and, after a nightmare start, ran a great race and came up trumps with Frankie Dettori aboard for the trip. She trades at about 6/1 and the bet here is whether she is an improver and will offer even more with a solid start. Some might say she’s a bit short-priced considering the lack of a tangible track record.
Rumoush ran in the 1000 Guineas and looked good initially when sent off at 7/1. She weakened a bit though and was simply beaten by better horses. Prior to that she had captured a listed race at Newmarket when going off at 7/2. She tends to start a bit slower than most but boasts an excellent kick on the finish. My issue is whether she will face traffic problems again with 15 contenders in this race. She will need room, but if she gets it I think she’s tough to beat- a real late-pace threat here.
Aviate brings her undefeated record into the Epsom Derby with a Group 3 victory already under her belt. She’s probably the most accomplished in the race and the step up here isn’t too dramatic. However, this is such a wide-open field that I have a feeling many punters will be looking for value plays here and I expect Aviate to get bet down pretty hard considering that she has a Group win to her credit. I think she’s versatile and shows some tactical speed. She’s won when held up at the back and she’s won when tracking the leaders from the off- that’s more to her name than some of the others here can boast about.
Akdarena (Hernando) is the late price drop here with Ladbrokes cutting her to 6/1 from a 10/1 listing today. She too has won a Group 3- this one at Naas against a solid field of 9 that turned out to be an absolute cakewalk. She had a few indifferent runs last year and her first go this season wasn’t much to write home about, but she has taken two on the bounce and is looking for the third and there is no doubt that she boasts plenty of momentum. This is a step up for her though and has only won at 1m2f so the final two furlongs will be the key factor here.
If you’re looking for a distance winner, try a punt on Gertrude Bell (Sinndar) who triumphed in a listed race at Chester over 1m3f97yrds when sent off against a field of 7 as the lukewarm 5/2 favourite. She is 2-1-2 from 5 lifetime starts and, while the odds may not make her an each-way value play, I think she’s very strong for the win and will possibly see a price clip before the race. She’s trading at 14/1 at the moment and looks a solid contender against a wide open field.
Awesome Inspiring (Montjeu) looks the progressive type and sits at a juicy 33/1 for what would be a very plausible upset in a race that is really anyone’s guess. She is a progressive sort and is coming off a solid victory at Cork back in late April. She runs well over the type of surface that we expect at Epsom tomorrow and could be a real spoiler. While she doesn’t boast the class that some of the favourites have, the AP O’Brien-trained bay filly may prove to be a real onion in the ointment for the princes and the sheikhs. She’s a very interesting outside bet at that price.