Horse Racing betting tips: Savethelastdance to storm to Oaks glory

Robbie Wilders Published: 01 Jun 23 16:44

It is a Classic day at Epsom on Friday as the best three-year-old middle-distance fillies around lock horns in the Oaks.

Racing Post tipster Robbie Wilders provides his four best bets across a cracking card.

Robbie Wilders' tips

2.35 Epsom - Fantastic Fox @ 6/1
2.35 Epsom - Rhoscolyn @ 11/2
3.10 Epsom - Point Lonsdale @ 9/2
4.30 Epsom - Savethelastdance @ 5/4

View the latest Horse Racing Odds

Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.

2.35 Epsom - Fantastic Fox @ 6/1
2.35 Epsom - Rhoscolyn @ 11/2

FANTASTIC FOX finished third in this 1m½f handicap last year and is weighted to go two places better.

Two average efforts on soft ground over 1m2f here and over 1m2½f at Chester this term are forgiven and have prompted a drop in the weights for Fantastic Fox, who is now 5lb lower than last year's mark and 8lb better off with Revich, who filled the runner-up position in 2022.

Fantastic Fox failed to finish with aplomb in those two runs and the drop back to an extended mile on a faster surface is going to suit. He shaped equally as well as Revich did last season having encountered trouble in running inside the final furlong, while it is easy to envisage this has been the long-term plan.

The other to back is RHOSCOLYN for David O’Meara, who excels in this type of contest. Given the trainer's tendency to race his top handicappers regularly, it is unlikely this has been the main target for Rhoscolyn, but he is a major form player.

Rhoscolyn was a consistent mid-100s-rated handicapper last campaign and his performances have not tailed off in tandem with a reduced rating of 95.

Rebel Territory was in a different league to the rest in Ascot's Victoria Cup this month, but Rhoscolyn, who raced on the slower strip of ground on the far side, fared respectably to finish fourth in his group, four lengths off the second, who raced near side. This is a weaker contest.

ROBBIE WILDERS' TIP:

Fantastic Fox @ 6/1 - 1pt win
Rhoscolyn @ 11/2 - 1pt win

View the latest Horse Racing news, videos and betting tips

3.10 Epsom - Point Lonsdale @ 9/2

The Coronation Cup might have attracted only five runners but they are a quality quintet and each have something to recommend them as potential winners.

Considering POINT LONSDALE is the lowest-rated runner in the field, he could be underestimated and I'm backing him to continue his recent progression.

This formerly top-class juvenile missed his entire three-year-old campaign, but returned to notch a couple of successes in lesser company this term.

The bare form of those efforts needs improving on, but Point Lonsdale raced lazily for much of the Group 2 Huxley Stakes at Chester last time and seems to keep a bit back for himself.

A first crack at 1m4f promises to extract more from Point Lonsdale, whose brother Broome is a Group 1-winning stablemate and needs 1m4f as a minimum. I'm adamant Point Lonsdale is the more talented of the siblings.

ROBBIE WILDERS' TIP:

Point Lonsdale @ 9/2 - 1pt win

4.30 Epsom - Savethelastdance @ 5/4

The Oaks market has Aidan O'Brien's Cheshire Oaks winner SAVETHELASTDANCE as the clear favourite over John and Thady Gosden-trained pair Soul Sister and Running Lion.

That looks spot on and, in what looks a weak field outside of the top three, I think Savethelastdance wins this quite comprehensively.

The visual impression of Savethelastdance's remarkable 22-length strike at Chester was backed up by the clock, and while the soft ground exaggerated the winning distance, her pedigree suggests the switch to a quicker surface can see her in a better light again as a daughter of Galileo who is out of a Scat Daddy mare.

Although she failed to defeat a filly of note at Chester, she did in her maiden at Leopardstown, with second Boogie Woogie not beaten far in the French 1,000 Guineas and third Azazat showcasing her Ribblesdale credentials by winning easily next time.

Savethelastdance has only run three times and the sky looks the limit for her as O'Brien bids for a fourth straight success in the Oaks.