Friday Racing Tips: Lion can roar in Betfred Oaks

Tom McGarry

Jun 2

There is an action-packed Friday of racing in store across Britain and Ireland, with the Betfred Oaks at Epsom the undoubted centrepiece.

Day one of the Betfred Derby Festival on the Surrey Downs is joined by further Flat meetings at Chepstow and Carlisle in the afternoon while Catterick and Doncaster go in the evening and there's jumps fare from Stratford, Down Royal and Tramore on what is sure to be a busy evening.

Our Friday fancies include a win for Oisin Murphy in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom.

Selections

Epsom 4.30 - Running Lion @ 6/1
Chepstow 1.20 - Racing Demon @ 15/8
Stratford 7.05 - Secret Investor @ 9/2

Tip 1

It's day one of a Classic double bill at Epsom this afternoon with the Betfred Oaks centre stage as the fillies' get set to strut their stuff on the famous Surrey Downs.

Savethelastdance has now gone odds-on as punters pile into Aidan O'Brien's wide-margin Cheshire Oaks winner. She's a major player but was that Chester win on heavy ground too good to be true? Time will tell.

John & Thady Gosden are double-handed in their quest for a fourth Oaks at Epsom since 2014. Frankie Dettori rides Musidora Stakes winner Soul Sister and they are strong contenders but so, too, should be RUNNING LION (6/1) and Oisin Murphy.

The filly has won all four starts since a debut second at Newmarket last summer and is progressing very nicely. She was strong through the line in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at HQ last month, taking well to her first go at a mile-and-a-quarter and suggesting this extra trip will be within her compass.

Murphy had a spectacular association with her sire, Roaring Lion, and they can continue the family tradition as the in-form former champion jockey looks to bag his second Classic of the season.

Bet on Horse Racing with Betfred Here

Tip 2

Afternoon racing gets underway at Chepstow with the Trade Centre Group Handicap over a mile and RACING DEMON (15/8) is fancied for Ed De Giles and Trevor Whelan.

The Muhaarar gelding has shown some good form this spring on turf, finishing second in successive starts over this trip on soft ground at Windsor before a half-length third at Bath (1m, good) in mid-May.

In that most recent start he had a wall of horses in front of him as the contest began to unfold in earnest and was forced to bob and weave around looking for a gap that did not appear before eventually coming around runners and flashing home in eye-catching style on the outside of the main protagonists.

He's rated just 1lb higher this afternoon and with only five rivals on the much more expansive track at Chepstow, such traffic woes should not present themselves and he's fancied to gain a merited first win.

Horse Racing Odds

Tip 3

It's a big evening over the jumps at Stratford and their feature contest is the Pertemps Network Stratford Foxhunters Champion Hunters' Chase where Vaucelet is a warm order to repeat last year's win for Irish trainer David Christie.

His claims are strong but he's had a busy spring. He was only seventh amid some traffic woes in the Foxhunters at the Cheltenham Festival in March and has since finished second-best at Punchestown and Downpatrick - beaten favourite in all three instances.

He had a tough race a fortnight ago as old foe Billaway got his measure and he might be vulnerable now.

SECRET INVESTOR (9/2) was a Grade 2-winning chaser at his best for Paul Nicholls and while no longer in that class now, he has won all three completed starts in hunter chases this year - his only blemish coming when he exited at the first fence at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

He put that behind him with a smooth three-mile win at Ludlow in April under Natalie Parker and if they see out this extra half-mile they surely have a massive role to play in the Stratford feature.

Secret Investor is on the Most Napped table via the Betfred Betfinder for Friday's action and can prove a shrewd investment for the champion trainer.