Epsom tips: Dave Nevison's best bets for Friday

I will never forget Betfred Oaks day after Rising Cross, who I owned a half-share in, finished second in the fillies' Classic. I have bored people over the years with the story but after her son, Croix Du Nord, won the Japanese Derby last week, she has once again showed herself to be a champion filly, in my mind. 

I have already done my ante-post money on this year's race, and won’t go in again, but I am definitely hoping for a couple of decent-priced winners on my favourite flat race day of the season. Enjoy all the action live on Racing TV.

Alan King has his yard in strong form, and Westerton looks as though he is ready to hit the frame, at least, in this competitive handicap. 

The four-year-old has a poor strike-rate for a horse of his undoubted ability, and a novice win at Sandown is not enough to show for his talents. 

However he started out in handicaps rated 100, which was way too high. He ran very credibility in marks off the mid 90’s last season and has produced two good efforts in similarly competitive events this season plus has dropped a further couple of pounds. 

A mark of 88 (5lb lower than what he started this season on) looks to be well within his capabilities, and at big odds, he can be backed each-way with four places on offer. 

The ground looks set to ease with rain forecast at Epsom, and that might present an opportunity for Alpha Crucis who excels on a soft surface, and has only ever won on tracks similar to Epsom, so looks likely to have plenty going for him here. 

The Moore’s five-year-old ran very well on his reappearance in the Lincoln on ground faster than ideal, and if he can build on that effort, then he definitely has a chance in this. 

Jason Watson won on him last season and is back on board here, which is no detriment to his chances. 

Makeen is rated much lower on the all-weather and while he is a better performer on turf, his rating has also been declining on this surface recently.

Julie Camacho’s handicapper is now 3lb below his last winning mark, which came at Beverley last summer, and based on his recent reappearance at Newcastle, he looks to have started this year in better form than he ended 2024. 

He was too fresh last time and didn’t help Tom Kiely-Marshall much throughout the race, but still finished a good third. If he settles better this time, the eight-year-old looks very likely to get a fast pace here, which suits him best, and can show himself to be well-enough handicapped under his promising claimer.