2025 Betfred Oaks: runner-by-runner guide and ante-post tip

Trainer: Charlie Appleby. Rating: 117. Best odds: 7-4.

Displayed her star quality last year winning all four of her starts, which included the Betfred May Hill Stakes and the bet365 Fillies’ Mile, and returned this year with a game victory in the Betfred 1000 Guineas. 

She showcased her versatility when making all in the Newmarket Classic, and proved she had trained on, although she probably did not need to improve on her two-year-old form to strike there. 

That form has also taken a couple of knocks, with the second and third failing to land a blow in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas next time out. Admittedly, Lake Victoria (sixth) bolted up in the Curragh Classic, but she was not at her best at Newmarket. 

A rating of 117 means Desert Flower has a bit in hand on the figures here, and the biggest question mark is will she stay an extra four furlongs? 

She has never raced over further than a mile, but her dam, who produced her best form over 1m-1m1f, is a half-sister to a smart stayer, and Desert Flower’s relaxed style of racing will also help. 

Her sire, Night Of Thunder, was a star miler, and Desert Flower’s closest relative, who only raced as a two-year-old, won over seven furlongs, so her pedigree is not exactly littered with stamina. 

Connections are confident she will stay 1m4f, though, and she is without doubt the one to beat if she does. 

Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor. Rating: 108. Best odds: 9-1.

Has been supplemented at a cost of £30,000, and that looks a wise move by connections following her eye-catching effort in the Betfred 1000 Guineas on just her second outing.

She travelled powerfully there and found plenty under pressure before greenness/lack of experience took its toll late on.Saeed bin Suroor’s charge only made her debut in August last year when digging deep to landing a gamble at Kempton and pulled clear with a rival now rated 89, so clearly took a big step forward to finish fourth at Newmarket.

Elwateen is the first foal of a Prix Saint Alary winner and by Dubwai, who sired the first two home in last year’s Betfred Oaks, so her pedigree hints she will stay 1m4f. Her handler, a dual Oaks-winning trainer, also believes “the further she goes, it will be better for her”.

Another chunk of improvement looks assured and while she lacks experience, there’s plenty to like about her credentials.

Trainer: Aidan O'Brien. Rating: 102. Best odds: 5-1.

Looked a work in progress last season and was a “bit babyish”, according to connections, plus had a big frame to fill, which strongly suggested she was going to develop significantly this year. 

Her success in the William Hill Oaks Trial indicates that is the case and although she only had two inferior rivals to beat there, she impressed with the way she powered clear, despite racing keenly in a first-time hood. 

Aidan O’Brien advised she was "only just ready to start" and she'd "taken a little bit of time to come to hand and is not really there yet" ahead of that outing, which has hopefully taken the freshness out of her as she will need to settle better at Epsom. It also poses a question mark on how she will handle preliminaries as she was taken to post quietly by Ryan Moore at Lingfield, and raced with exuberance throughout. 

A bigger field, and stronger pace, should help this daughter of Frankel who surely learnt plenty from that experience plus will have no problem staying the Oaks trip on this evidence. 

Still has plenty to learn, and needs to relax, but appears to have a big engine, and the betting suggests she will be the Ballydoyle first string, with O’Brien seeking his eleventh Betfred Oaks victory. 

Trainer: John and Thady Gosden. Rating: 99. Best odds: 50-1.

This €230,000 breeze-up purchase overcame greenness to win on debut at Lingfield in December and made the most of a good opportunity to score over 1m2f on her return at the same venue this season. 

Those were weak contests, so she had plenty to find on paper ahead of the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes and was no match for Whirl at York. 

There are no obvious reasons why she will reverse form with the impressive winner, other than that was her first outing on turf, and stepping up to 1m4f could unlock more improvement. The Gosden team have also won four of the past eleven renewals of the Betfred Oaks, and Go Go Boots is their only potential contender this year.

It is worth noting the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot was mentioned after her York outing, so she is not a definite runner here, and if she does line-up, she will have plenty to find. 

Trainer: Aidan O'Brien. Rating: 100. Best odds: 8-1.

A €1,850,000 purchase at the Goffs Orby sale, this Frankel filly is bred in the purple and showed minor promise in two starts last season, with a step up in trip looking certain to suit. 

She was relatively weak in the betting ahead of the Weatherbys ePassport Cheshire Oaks on her fist outing this season but progressed nicely and relished the extended 1m3f to record a workmanlike victory (Ryan Moore was niggling away to keep her interested at times). 

That form does not look overly strong, and none of Aidan O’Brien’s eight previous winners of the Chester trial have gone on to claim Betfred Oaks glory , although 2018 runner-up Forever Together did go one better at Epsom. 

It did, however, prove she will stay the Betfred Oaks trip, and she does not appear ground dependant. She is set to be one of three contenders for O’Brien, and it is perhaps wise to believe one of her stablemates may hold stronger claims.

Trainer: Ed Walker. Rating: 98. Best odds: 25-1.

Has progressed on each of her five outings and finally gained a Listed victory last time out after being placed twice at that level. That form looks OK for the level, and Qilin Queen showed a tremendous attitude at Newbury. 

Ed Walker, who is in red-hot form, clearly holds this filly in high regard to be targeting a race of this nature, and her pedigree is littered with stamina, so connections must be expecting further improvement over this trip. 

Her experience should stand her in good stead, although Walker describes her as being a “bit buzzy”, so her pre-race antics could cause concern. 

A rating of 98 suggests she has plenty to find with the leading protagonists, too, and a sizeable step forward is required to be competitive. 

Trainer: Ralph Beckett. Rating: 97. Best odds: 12-1.

Would have defeat Qilin Queen in another stride or two when narrowly denied at Newbury in May, her first outing since creating a big impression on debut in testing conditions at Nottingham last year. 

That was a fine effort against rivals with more experience, especially as her greenness was evident, and she had no problem handling quicker ground.

She's a half-sister to two winners, including Fred Darling winner Remarquee, and is bred to stay middle distances, with plenty of stamina in her pedigree. Her dam is a half-sister to 1m7½f Group One winner Scope, who is out of a half-sister to Ralph Beckett's Betfred Oaks winner Look Here, who struck at 33-1 in 2009.

Interestingly, Revoir has had a similar preparation to Look Here, and Beckett also landed the Betfred Oaks with Talent (20-1) in 2013, so his contenders are always worth a second look. 

This youngster has untapped potential, and while her lack of experience is a concern, it would not be the biggest shock if she hits the frame.

Trainer: Joseph O'Brien. Rating: 105. Best odds: 20-1.

Defeated Minnie Hauk when getting off the mark on her second start last season before running respectably in Group Three company. 

She was a market drifter and probably needed the outing when fifth behind Betfred Derby favourite Delacroix on her return this year, where she didn't appear to see out the trip.

However, any stamina doubts were quashed when making all to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes over ten furlongs next time out on soft ground. She travelled like a smart horse there, and although that was not the strongest Group Three contest, she impressed with the manner of her victory. 

She's out of a No Nay Never mare, and O'Brien cast doubts over her ability to stay an extra two furlongs following her Navan victory. It would certainly be doubtful based on her pedigree, and ten furlongs looks her optimum trip for now, which is a negative here. She could therefore contest the Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on June 28 instead. 

Trainer: Aidan O'Brien. Rating: 99. Best odds: 5-1.

It was a slight surprise to hear connections say the Betfred Oaks was unlikely following her impressive win in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes last time out.

She had been brought along steadily prior to that over seven furlongs and a mile, and stripped much fitter for her seasonal debut, with the step up to an extended ten furlongs unleashing sizeable improvement. 

That form does not look strong, but she was in command a long way from home, and also clocked a decent time.

Wootton Bassett has produced a 1m4f Group One winner, and Whirl's dam is by Galileo and a sister to multiple Group One scorers, including British Champions Fillies & Mares winner Hydrangea. The authoritativeness of her York success also suggests 1m4f will be within reach, and she relaxed nicely on the Knavesmire.

O'Brien's Snowfall used the Musidora as a stepping stone to Betfred Oaks glory in 2021, and it would be no surprise if Whirl did the same.

A race that revolves around Desert Flower and whether she will stay the trip. Godolphin's unbeaten filly is the standout contender who will be extremely tough to beat if she relishes an extra four furlongs here. At the prices, though, it is probably worth siding with one at chunkier odds given her stamina is not guaranteed. 

Giselle could be Aidan O'Brien's first string, especially if Ryan Moore opts to ride her. She did plenty wrong when winning at Lingfield, and while she got away with her quirky antics there, Epsom will be a completely different test, and her keenness is a cause for concern. 

Ballydoyle are also set to run Minnie Hauk and WHIRL, and it is the latter who makes most appeal at the general 5-1 on offer. 

Her Tattersalls Musidora victory was visually impressive, and her relaxed demeanour and finishing effort on the Knavesmire all point to her staying this trip. I would have her as the clear second favourite.

ANTE-POST TIP: WHIRL at 5-1 to win the 2025 Betfred Oaks.