Friday’s Epsom Tips: Tom Collins opts for the most logical winner in 2023 Oaks

Taghrooda, Minding, Enable, Love and Snowfall feature among the Oaks champions in the last decade - which filly will join them by winning and cementing her name into the history books?

Epsom’s historic and prestigious fillies’ Classic has become something of a feeding ground for trainers Aidan O’Brien and John Gosden, with the pair sharing the last nine renewals between them. Their dominance is set to continue as they are represented by five of the 11 runners in this year’s contest - and three of them will take a large chunk out of the market.

Gosden, who trains alongside his son Thady nowadays, will be hoping that either Musidora winner Soul Sister or Pretty Polly heroine Running Lion will get the job done and claim the £311,025 first prize. 

Running Lion impressed me at Kempton on her seasonal reappearance before scooting clear of eight rivals at Newmarket on the step up in class 26 days ago. However, that form has been let down by the runner-up losing in novice company since at prohibitive odds. I also think it’s pretty telling that Oisin Murphy didn’t believe she would stay 1m4f in an interview directly after that race, and therefore I’m happy to look elsewhere.

The case for Soul Sister is more obvious in this weak renewal of the Oaks: she’s got plenty of class, stamina in abundance and is partnered by the excellent Frankie Dettori. However, both of her victories have come on galloping tracks with long homestraights (Doncaster and York) and Epsom will provide a completely different test.

Furthermore, I imagine Dettori will drop her out in the early stages which will mean that he will not only have to negotiate his way across from stall 10, but also make his run from behind current market leader Savethelastdance. Can she finish faster than Aidan O’Brien’s filly? I don’t think so.

Savethelastdance made a huge splash with her impressive 22-length Cheshire Oaks victory at the May Meeting and, although she didn’t beat quality opposition that day, the emphatic nature of her success suggests it shouldn’t be downgraded. Her closing three-furlong split was extremely quick on slow ground and the power in which she hit the line was mouthwatering.

Given she’s already won on the Roodee, the camber and downhill nature of Epsom shouldn’t cause any concerns, and I have even fewer worries about the quicker conditions given her fast ground pedigree. Backing a short-priced favourite in a Classic is normally frowned upon, but I believe she’s a class above and can make an exception here.

I have also had a bet - albeit a much smaller win single - on George Boughey’s Pocket The Profit in the closing Winners Wear Cavani Handicap (5.45 Epsom) at a tasty double-figure price.

This four-year-old has proved pretty prolific in his career with six wins from 23 starts and, despite being just 1lb below his career-high mark, I’m pretty confident that there is more to come from him.

Pocket The Profit was sent off at a very similar 14/1 in this race last year off 2lb lower and made considerable inroads from the back of the pack to finish sixth under Hayley Turner. He has only won once since from nine subsequent outings, but only two of those came on quick conditions on turf and we might not have seen the best from him.

His spin around Doncaster last month would have got rid of the cobwebs and the booking of Kevin Stott suggests they mean business this time around. Hopefully they go too hard up front and Pocket The Profit can fly home to pick up the pieces at big odds.

Friday’s Epsom Tips

Savethelastdance (4.30 Epsom) @ 2.24
Pocket The Profit (5.45 Epsom) @ 17