Epsom Oaks

The Oaks is a Group 1 run over 1m4f at Epsom which this year is run on Friday 4th June at 4:00 for which nine horses have been declared.

Oaks Winners, Trends & Stats

The Oaks is the second fillies’ classic of the season which has been won by future open Group 1 winners Minding (2016), Enable (2017) and Love (2020).

  • 12 of the previous 12 winners ran in the last 34 days or less.
  • 11 of the previous 12 winners had at least 3 previous flat runs.
  • 10 of the previous 12 winners were rated 102 or higher.
  • 9 of the previous 12 winners had at least 2 flat wins.
  • 8 of the previous 12 winners won on their previous start.
  • 8 of the previous 12 winners had at least 1 previous run over 10f over further

 

 

Epsom Oaks 2026 Full Runners Guide

A LA PROCHAINE (JAMES DOYLE)

Lightly raced filly owned by Wathnan who made a winning debut at Newbury last year before finishing 3rd behind Amelia Earhart in the Cheshire Oaks. She will no doubt step forward for that run and could outrun her odds with the forecast rain.

AMELIA EARHART (RYAN MOORE)

Proven stayer who is a full sister to Chester Cup winner Cleveland. She took five attempts to get off the mark but relished the step up in trip to win the Cheshire Oaks on her reappearance by two lengths when fitted with a first-time hood and blinkers combination.

CAMEO (WAYNE LORDAN)

Wootton Bassett filly who stepped forward from a poor reappearance run to win the Lingfield Oaks Trial by 4 ¾ lengths. She is versatile ground wise having won good to firm ground and soft/heavy ground in her career and has a similar profile to last year’s runner-up Whirl.

K SARRA (ROSSA RYAN)

An impressive AW winner last season, she stepped forward from a poor run over 7f in the Fred Darling to finish 3rd behind Legacy Link in the Musidora Stakes at York when only beaten 2 ¼ lengths. She is a full sister to Pride Of Arras who won the Great Voltigeur Stakes over this trip last season.

LEGACY LINK (COLIN KEANE)

Progressive Juddmonte filly who finished 4th behind Precise in the Fillies’ Mile last season before winning the Musidora Stakes on her reappearance at York. She still has to prove her stamina at this trip but is out of a full sister to Frankel and Noble Mission.

ON MESSAGE (HECTOR CROUCH)

A winner over 7f last year at Wolverhampton, she made a winning reappearance at this track over 1m½f in a handicap off a mark of 80. She finished 3rd beaten only a length on her next start at Goodwood behind Inis Mor and Earth Shot in the listed Height Of Fashion Stakes over 1m2f shaping like another step up in trip would suit.

SUGAR ISLAND (RONAN WHELAN)

Ended last season with an impressive 2 ¾ length success over a mile on heavy ground at the Curragh beating both Thundering On and Cameo. She was attempting to five 5lbs to stablemate Amelia Earhart and A La Prochaine when 4th in the Cheshire Oaks on her reappearance.

THUNDERING ON (DYLAN BROWNE MCMONAGLE)

Beaten by both Cameo and Sugar Island last season before getting off the mark in the Group 3 Salsabil Stakes at Navan last time by 3 ¼ lengths over 1m2f. She is unexposed at the trip and is likely to put in a career best performance in this contest.

VENETIAN LACE (WILLIAM BUICK)

110 rated filly despite only winning one of her seven career starts. She finished 2nd behind Precise in the Fillies’ Mile last season before finishing 3rd on her reappearance in the 1000 Guineas. Being by Masar, she should stand a good chance of staying this trip.

Oaks Trainers & Jockeys to Watch

Aidan O’Brien has won this race eleven times with Shahtoush (1998), Imagine (2001), Alexandrova (2006), Was (2012), Qualify (2015), Minding (2016), Forever Together (2018), Love (2020), Snowfall (2021), Tuesday (2022) and Minnie Hauk (2025). John & Thady Gosden have won this race four times with Taghrooda (2014), Enable (2017), Anapurna (2019) and Soul Sister (2023).

Ryan Moore has a superb record in the race winning it five times with Snow Fairy (2010), Minding (2016), Love (2020), Tuesday (2022) and Minnie Hauk (2025).

 

 

Epsom Oaks Betting Tips

With the recent rain and stamina test looking sure to suit SUGAR ISLAND (best priced at 33/1), she looks overpriced at current odds. The Aidan O’Brien trained filly won a Group 3 at the end of last season on heavy ground at the Curragh when Thundering On was 2 ¾ lengths behind and Cameo was back in 4th beaten 10 lengths. Both of those rivals are currently single figures for this race and she is being priced based on her 4th placed finish in the Cheshire Oaks behind Amelia Earhart and A La Prochaine.

Sugar Island was attempting to concede 5lbs to the rest of the field that day and was only beaten 5 ½ lengths at the finish. She is bred for the race, her dam Heaven On Earth is a half-sister to Minding and Tuesday who both won this contest. Aidan O’Brien has won this previously with second/third strings including with Snowfall (2021), Forever Together (2018), Qualify (2015) and Was (2012) and hopefully Sugar Island can spring a surprise.

Recommended Bet: Sugar Island 33/1 (0.5pt ew)