2019 Investec Epsom Derby and Oaks Early Betting Odds and Preview 6/01/19

The Investec Epsom Oaks and the Investec Epsom Derby are the highlight races of the Investec Derby Festival which begins on May 31, 2019. An estimated 100,000 horse racing fans are expected to head to the Epsom Downs Racecourse for this annual event.

May 31 is the popular Ladies Day while June 1st will be race day with seven races on deck including The Greatest Flat Race in the World. Also slated to be raced is the Epsom Oaks which is the fillies’ version of The Epsom Derby.

The Epsom Oaks

The Epsom Oaks, also known as The Oaks and sponsored by Investec this year, is a G-1 flat horse race for three-year-old fillies and held at the Epsom Downs racecourse in Surrey, England. The Oaks has a total race distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs, and six yards and is held in early June on the day before the Epsom Derby.

The Oaks is the second oldest of the five British Classics after the St. Leger. It is also the third in the itinerary of the Classics and the last of two that are restricted to fillies. It also serves as the middle leg of the British fillies’ triple crown as it held between the 1000 Guineas and the St. Leger.

Last year, Forever Together won the 2018 Oaks and finished ahead of Wild Illusion and Bye Bye Baby. The Epsom Oaks is one year older than The Derby and this year’s Epsom Oaks will be held on June 1, 2019.

Here are the odds to win the Epsom Oaks. Odds taken from bet365 as of 5/3/19:

Pink Dogwood is the current favorite to win the 2019 Derby Oaks. The three-year old brown filly is coming off a win in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes at Navan. After back to back runner-up finishes at the Curragh last summer, Pink Dogwood won at Gowran Park before being moved up to Group 1 competition at the Prix Marcel Boussac at Paris Longchamp. She finished fifth but was beaten by just a length-and-a-half.

In four lifetime flat races, the daughter of Camelot has won twice and placed second twice. She is trained by Aidan O’Brien and owned by Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor.

Iridessa is the three-year old daughter of 2013 Investec Derby winner Ruler of the World. The bay filly is trained by Joseph O’Brien and owned by Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez. Iridessa gave the son of Aidan O’Brien his first G1 success in Britain as a trainer by winning the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket last October.

In her first race of 2019, Iridessa finished 3rd in the G3 1000 Guineas Trial in Leopardstown last April 6th. She has started a total of five flat races and has won two while placing third two times also.

Sea of Faith is a three-year old bay filly trained by William Haggas and owned by Sunderland Holdings Inc. In her first race, she finished third in the Nordoff Robbins Sir George Martin Memorial Fillies’ Novice Stakes at Sandown Park last April 26th.

Just Wonderful is a three-year old bay filly trained by Aidan O’Brien and owned by Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor. On her final race before the Moyglare, she stepped up to mile for the first time and still managed to comfortably defeat Fleeting and Peach Tree in a G3 race. Her last outing of last year came at the Breeders Cup where she recovered from a slow start and poor track position to salvage 4th place.

The Epsom Derby

The Epsom Derby, also known as The Derby and sponsored by Investec this year, is G-1 flat horse race for three-year old thoroughbreds and fillies held at the Epsom Downs racecourse in Surrey, England. It has a total race distance of one mile, four furlongs and six yards and is held every first Saturday of June.

The Derby is the richest horse race in England with a purse of 1.5M pounds in 2018. It is also the most prestigious of the five British Classics horse races and is often dubbed as the “Blue Riband” of the turf. The race is also the middle leg of the British Triple Crown of horse racing as it is held between the 2000 Guineas and the St. Legers.

Last year, Masar won the race by a distance of two lengths from Dee Ex Bee. Roaring Lion finished half a length behind the second placer. This year’s Derby will be the 240th installment of the race and will be held on June 1, 2019.

Here are the odds to win the Epsom Derby. Odds taken from bet365 as of 5/3/2019:

Too Darn Hot was too damn good when he produced one of the best performances in the Dewhurst Stakes this century. He achieved a Timeform rating of 127p which is the best since the great Frankel in 2010. The 3-year old bay colt is trained by John Gosden and owned by Lord Lloyd Webber.  He’s won all four races he’s started so far.

However, last year’s champion two-year old is expected to miss his first planned run of the new Flat season after suffering what his trainer hopes is just a mild leg injury. As a result,Too Darn Hot will miss the 2000 Guineas this weekend.

Japan is a three-year old bay colt trained by Aidan O’Brien and owned by Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor. The son of Galileo won the Beresford Stakes in his last outing of 2018. In three career runs, Japan has won twice.

Broome came from last to first in winning the P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown last month. The 3-year old bay colt owned by Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier has run five lifetime races and has two wins and one second place finish.

Al Hilalee won the Weatherbys British EBF Maiden Stakes at Newmarket last year. The three-year old bay colt is trained by Charlie Appleby and owned by Godolphin. Meanwhile, Anthony Van Dyck is a three-year old bay colt trained by Aidan O’Brien and owned by  Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith. He placed third in the 2018 Dewhurst Stakes which was won by Too Darn Hot.

Who Wins?

The 2000 Guineas (May 4th) is one of the effective trials for the Derby as four out of the last 10 Epsom Derby winners ran in the 2000 Guinea before heading to Epsom. Moreover, two of those winners-Camelot and Sea The Stars, completed the Classic double.The Dante Stakes of York (may 16th ) is another important trial where two out the last 10 winners of the contested before heading to Epsom.

Likewise, there are several trial races for the Epsom Oaks, the most prominent of which is the 1000 Guineas which will be on May 5th. So until these trial races are concluded, it’s still too early to pick a true favorite in the 2019 Epsom Derby and Oaks races. Remember that current form is an essential factor in horse race betting and it’s these trial races that shape the Derby and Oaks. We’ll give an updated preview with predictions once we head closer to the races.

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