Oaks and Derby tips: A tempting Frankie Dettori double, Savethelastdance and Auguste Rodin favourites for Epsom Classics

The Derby at Epsom Racecourse is the most coveted race in the calendar and it's the one race everyone hopes to win.

Desert Crown was the victor last year under Richard Kingscote for trainer Sir Michael Stoute while the 2022 Oaks went the way of Tuesday under Ryan Moore for Aidan O'Brien.

There are five Classics in British horse racing: The Derby, the Oaks, 1000 Guineas, St Leger and 2000 Guineas.

The Derby is the crown jewel of them all and the most famous flat race arguably in the world given its long tradition, history and heritage.

All eyes are on the runners for the two races with the Derby being potentially the most open contest in years.

Horse racing betting suggests it should be an Aidan O'Brien classic clean sweep.

The Oaks betting tips

The Epsom Oaks is contested over 1m4f for three-year-old fillies while the main event is for colts.

The Betfred Oaks this year has one big favourite though and that is Savethelastdance, who stepped up in trip at Chester and absolutely stormed home in a listed race by an unprecedented 22 lengths.

On soft ground and at Chester is mightily impressive and the O'Brien-trained horse's closest market competitor is the John & Thady Gosden-trained Soul Sister.

She also stepped up in distance, but to an extended 1m2f at York's Group 3 Musidora Stakes, by a comfortable four lengths, outrunning her 18/1 odds.

This year is Frankie Dettori's last season in the UK and provides a real fighting chance to pick up another classic in his farewell campaign.

Although there are plenty of unknowns to this race, as there are every year, Savethelastdance has to be preferred even at close to evens to win the Oaks.

To win by such a distance at Chester was incredible and even if the horses in behind don't go on to win again or slump in the ratings, it's still a huge achievement.

Which lifts the potential of another big run at Epsom, where both are difficult tracks to win at.

This Galileo filly is bred for this kind of race in mind and the Irish trainer will surely win it again with this three-year-old.

The Derby betting tip

O'Brien has won six of the last 11 renewals of the race while Charlie Appleby has won two of the last five.

The winner of the Derby Trial, Military Order is among the main contenders to win this year having won at Lingfield impressively.

The colt is trained by Appleby for owner Godolphin and won on his first attempt over 1m4f.

The Betfred Derby (Group 1) consists of three-year-old colts who will race around the 1m4f at Epsom racecourse, which has been raced annually since 1780.

Auguste Rodin who was not quite with it at Newmarket's 2000 Guineas.

That was over 1m though and a step up in trip is set to suit him and a whole host of runners.

Only Military Order and Arrest have won over 1m4f though and are among the two safer bets in that regard having both won big Group contests when they tried this distance for the first time.

Arrest was incredibly impressive in the Group 3 Chester Vase Stakes winning by over six lengths under Frankie Dettori, who is having his last ever season in the UK as a jockey.

That win came at Chester, which is a difficult track to win at anyway yet it also came on soft ground.

Auguste Rodin has the potential of improving and bouncing back from a poor run, but Arrest is looking to build on a great win.

But Dettori backers may give the Oaks Derby double a go, with Soul Sister and Arrest to win at 23/1!

All odds correct at time of writing

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