The 2024 Betfred Oaks: runner-by-runner guide and tip

12 fillies have been declared for Friday's Betfred Oaks at Epsom, with

Ylang Ylang

heading the betting at a general 15-8. Aidan O'Brien's charge is joined by stablemate

Rubies Are Red

- the joint second-favourite at a best-priced 7-2 - and the pair provide the Ballydoyle maestro with a strong hand as he bids for an eleventh Oaks success.

O'Brien has dominated the race in recent years having won six of the past nine renewals - the other three were won by John Gosden (and Thady last year) but, rather surprisingly, the Gosden team do not have a runner in this year's contest. 

Ralph Beckett - who won the Oaks with Talent (2013) and Look Here (2008) - has declared four contenders (

Forest Fairy

,

You Got To Me

, and

Seaward

) and is another trainer who is strongly represented. 

The ground is soft, good to soft in places at the time of writing (Wednesday) and with a mixed forecast ahead of Friday, I would bet on the conditions being on the slow side of good at post time. 

Here's a guide to the 12 contenders plus a big-race verdict.

Trainer: Noel Meade. Odds: 66-1. 

Looked a smart performer in the making when bolting up on her second outing last season before showing a good attitude to win a Group Three at the Curragh where she needed every yard of the seven furlongs to get on top close home. 

Given her potential, it was no surprise she was sent off 4-1 for the at Newmarket on her next start and although she ran below par, there may be a chance she was feeling the effects of her Curragh victory on soft ground 19 days earlier. She was also described as “far from the finished article” by her trainer, Noel Meade, last year. 

Caught U Looking is a daughter of English and Irish Derby winner Harzand, and while she faded close home on her first start over ten furlongs on her return to action, she shaped as though the outing was needed, so there is a chance she could stay the Oaks trip based upon her breeding, and the fact her connections believe she will be a middle-distance filly this year. 

It wouldn’t be the biggest surprise if she did take a big step forward here now she has a run under her belt, but she will need to if she’s going to trouble the leading protagonists. 

Trainer: Charlie Appleby. Odds: 25-1. 

Overcame inexperience when justifying strong support on debut last year and took the step up to Group Three company, despite running green again, in her stride to win the on her next start. 

This Dubawi filly again showed she remained a work in progress when second in the on her seasonal debut and failed to build on that effort with a below-par ninth in the next time out. 

She’s a half-sister to a 1m3½f winner, but her full sister only won over a mile and there certainly isn’t bundles of stamina in Dance Sequence’s pedigree, which suggests 1m4f probably won’t be ideal for her. She also didn’t appear to handle Newmarket that well, either, so this track isn’t certain to suit. 

The Godolphin team clearly hold their three-year-old in high regard, but she needs to bounce back from her latest outing and others hold stronger credentials. 

Trainer: Dermot Weld. Odds: 9-2. 

A beautifully bred daughter of Dubawi who is a half-sister to 1m4f winner Eziva, and Ezeliya’s dam finished third in the 2017 Irish Oaks plus was a multiple Group winner over middle-distances. She’s also from the immediate family of Gold Cup winner Enzeli. 

Having caught the eye in defeat on debut, Dermot Weld’s filly travelled powerfully en route to a cosy success in a mile maiden at Cork in testing conditions where she did well to quicken off a slow pace given she raced exuberantly early with no cover. 

The fact she was weak in the betting ahead of the probably signalled she was using that Group Three contest as a warm-up ahead of the Betfred Oaks, but she took a big step forward to defeat some smart prospects and powered home from the rear of the field to get on top close home. She certainly shaped as though an extra two furlongs is going to suit her, while the runner-up, Purple Lily, ran well in the on her next start. 

Despite flashing her tail under pressure, Ezeliya doesn’t seem ungenuine, and this well-balanced filly is already proven with cut in the ground, so there’s plenty to like about her chances here, with this trip sure to bring out more improvement in her. 

Trainer: Ralph Beckett. Odds: 8-1. 

Described as being “very immature” as a two-year-old, which is why she didn’t appear until February this year but looked a hugely talented filly when winning eased down on debut at Wolverhampton over this trip where she defeated rivals who had the benefit of experience. 

Impressed again to land the on her next outing, and showed a particularly good attitude under pressure there, although that form falls slightly short of what others in this race have achieved so far. 

Forest Fairy’s pedigree is littered with stamina, so it has been no surprise connections have pitched her straight into middle-distance races, and she could even develop into a St Leger contender this season. 

Rossa Ryan also expressed how much he thinks of this filly at the last week, and the unbeaten daughter of Waldgeist is open to any amount of improvement after just two starts. 

Trainer: Karl Burke. Odds: 100-1. 

One of the most experienced in the field with 12 outings next to her name, Making Dreams has progressed nicely having won a Nursery Handicap off a rating of 72 last year, and bolted up in a French Group Three on her return this year. 

Stepping up to an extended ten furlongs improved her there, and that victory was on heavy ground, so there’s a chance she will stay the Oaks trip, although that didn’t appear the strongest contest, especially as the hot favourite disappointed. 

However, she certainly impressed owner Katsumi Yoshida who purchased this filly for €750,000 in an online pop-up sale organised by Arqana in May, and it was disappointing his new purchase could not land a blow in a Group Two at Longchamp last time out. 

A bounce back is needed here and while Karl Burke is enjoying a fine run of form, this may be a step too far for his charge who will need a few of these to falter to go close. 

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien. Odds: 4-1. 

She’s yet to record a victory from three starts, but has shown bundles of promise in defeat, most notably when a fast-finishing second in the at Lingfield last time out following two placed efforts in heavy-ground maidens. 

Aidan O’Brien’s filly wasn’t best positioned there, mainly due to her inability to handle the downhill run into the straight (and her greenness) before making up a huge amount of ground from the rear of the field. Had she handled the track there, then it’s fair to say she would have won in fine style. 

The prospects of her handling Epsom have to be a niggle based upon that effort, but if she has learnt from that experience, she looks sure to go close here. 

This daughter of Galileo is also a full sister to Found, as well as numerous other Group winners, and is only going to get better with racing. 

Trainer: Ralph Beckett. Odds: 100-1.

A€460,000 purchase as a yearling, Seaward indicated she could well justify that price tag in time when winning a class 2 novice at Ascot on her second start, although the form of that race hasn’t worked out that well (the winning time wasn’t anything to shout about, either) and she only beat one rival home in the on her final outing last season. 

Soft ground may have been to blame there as Ralph Beckett said that “fast ground is important to her” after the Ascot win, and Seaward returned with a decent effort in the Cheshire Oaks. 

She’s by Sea The Stars, although is a half-sister to a five-furlong winner, and it’s hard to argue she definitely stayed the extended 1m3f at Chester where she was granted an easy lead before fading in the closing stages. 

Beckett advised his filly has come on plenty for that outing since, though, and the Kimpton Down Stables handler has been operating at a 20 per cent strike-rate in the past fortnight (at the time of writing). 

The forecast rain and the prospect of slower ground is a negative, and even if Seaward does get her preferred conditions, she would be a surprise winner.

Trainer: Andrew Balding. Odds: 14-1. 

Although Secret Satire is by top-class sprinter Advertise, there is plenty of stamina in her pedigree, and Andrew Balding’s filly proved she stays at least ten furlongs by winning the this month. 

That was a big step up on what she’d achieved, as the form of her Lingfield victory last season didn’t look that strong, and she was beaten in a Fillies’ Novice Stakes on her return this year. 

The runner-up in the Musidora has since won a Listed race, and the third finished fourth in last year’s , plus Secret Satire’s performance can be upgraded as she over-raced early on and was strong at the finish. 

That wasn’t a true test of stamina due to the slow early pace - advised that was the reason for her early exuberance - and this trip remains a question mark.

There was still lots to like, though, and she’s clearly improving, but will need to take a step forward again to add her name to the Oaks roll of honour. 

Trainer: Ralph Beckett. Odds: 18-1. 

A beautifully bred filly who handled heavy ground to make a winning debut over an extended mile on heavy ground at Nottingham last year where she was strong in the betting beforehand. 

That form hasn't been franked by those who have run since, but there was plenty to like about Treasure's performance. It was also interesting that Ralph Beckett entered Treasure in the December sales prior to her debut because she wasn't showing much at home. However, that plan was aborted when she started to sparkle on the gallops!

Her handler advised his daughter of Mastercraftsman needed the run on her return to action in the and while the Betfred Oaks didn't appear to be Plan A afterwards (connections had said they were favouring a trip to Royal Ascot for the Ribblesdale), it must be a positive sign that they have decided to roll the dice here.

Her experience gained at Lingfield will be an advantage at Epsom, although her lack of experience, and the fact Rossa Ryan believes she will be a better filly in time as she gains experience, is a slight concern, and she may struggle against those who are more street-wise here.

Trainer: David Menuisier. Odds: 100-1.

Impressed in a Listed contest on her final outing last year and has run respectably in defeat at Group Two and Three level this season. 

She was strong at the line when successful over nine furlongs last season but her finishing efforts over ten furlongs this term haven’t signalled that she will stay this trip, although it’s worth noting those runs came on soft ground. 

This will be her seventh outing, so she has more experience than most of her rivals, and is held in high regard by David Menuisier. However, she needs to take a considerable step forward on what she’s achieved so far, and her pedigree doesn't suggest she'll be crying out for this new trip.

Trainer: Aidan O'Brien. Odds: 9-4.

A 1,500,000gns yearling who has an attractive pedigree, and has some of the strongest form next to her name here, with her only real blip last season coming in the where she raced keenly and was looked after once her chance had gone. 

She could also only manage a staying-on third in the , but found seven furlongs on the sharp side there, and her stamina came into play when winning the on soft ground in October. 

There’s an abundance of high-class middle-distance performers in her pedigree, so she should relish this step up in trip, especially after staying on to finish fifth in the on her first start this season. 

Aidan O’Brien is confident his Frankel filly will be favoured by the Oaks trip, and this race was always the plan following the Guineas. She’s also proven with cut in the ground and is sure to be the choice of . 

Appears the one to beat, despite this year’s Betfred Oaks looking a relatively wide-open contest on paper. 

Trainer: Ralph Beckett. Odds: 12-1.

This daughter of Nathanial is closely related to 1m4f winner Ziggy, and is out of a mare who also won over this trip, so middle-distances were always going to suit.

That was also evident when You Got To Me took a big step forward on her return this year when winning the at Lingfield. Ralph Beckett's charge made that contest a real test, and she travelled strongly before finding plenty under pressure.

She was arguably a shade fortunate as the fast-finishing Rubies Are Red would have won in a few more strides, plus she was allowed an easy lead in a race that wasn't run in a great time compared to the Derby Trial on the same card. 

Connections said afterwards that there was plenty of improvement to come from You Got To Me who should have no issues handling Epsom on the evidence of her Lingfield win, but will need to raise her game again to provide Beckett with his third Oaks winner.

Ylang Ylang sets a decent standard here, and is the one to beat on ratings, while she ought to relish this step up in trip. However, she faces plenty of improvers, and it's another Irish raider, EZELIYA, who makes the most appeal.

Dermot Weld said his filly has been working "extremely well" this year and she impressed with her attitude, and finishing effort, to defeat some exciting prospects on her first start over ten furlongs in the last time out. 

The market suggested the outing may have been needed, and Weld is sure to have left plenty to work on ahead of the Betfred Oaks. She also won a shade cosily, and with plenty of stamina in her pedigree, this test promises to suit. 

The selection has already proved she handles cut in the ground, and Weld has made it no secret that he thinks his fast-improving filly is a Group One performer in the making.