Dave Nevison: my top three tips for Epsom on Friday

The Betfred Derby being run much earlier than usual at 1.30pm on Saturday doesn’t help the race, in my view, but overall this Festival goes from strength to strength and there is some cracking racing at Epsom over the next two days.

Friday’s Betfred Oaks doesn’t appeal as a betting medium with two seriously impressive wide-margin trial winners – Savethelastdance and Soul Sister - dominating the market and extinguishing any each-way appeal.

Frankie Dettori will be hoping to have a better Oaks day than he did last year, when so unfortunate on Emily Upjohn. I think he should be able to steer that filly to success in the Dahlbury Coronation Cup.

Charlie Johnston’s six-year-old is down to a mark he has shown himself able to win off and can gain reward for his consistent efforts in this valuable handicap.

He has run two good races off 1lb higher than this mark of 87 already this season and was caught too far off a slow pace at Hamilton last time. He looks to have a decent draw in stall 3 and should be able to hold his position under Neil Callan, who looks a strong booking.

Savvy Victory is a useful horse who flits between running in Listed races as well as high grade handicaps such as this.

Ryan Moore is a strong booking for Sean Woods’ four-year-old who won his handicap at Goodwood last season and ran a very good second last time at Chester off a 2lbs lower mark than on Friday.

Savvy Victory represents a yard is in very good form and he clearly acts well on idiosyncratic courses such as this. There looks to be pace among the low numbers inside of him so Moore should be able to plot a winning course down the straight.

He has a good draw here and should get a good tow into the race from front runner Urban Sprawl, who is drawn nearby in stall 6.

Riot raced away from the main action at York last time and was never able to challenge, yet he still ran very well to finish fifth. With more in his favour this time, he looks set to go close again. It may be a risky statement but Riot seems to have turned the corner under the care of David O’Meara and is one to watch in handicaps this summer.