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Epsom Oaks 2026: Five Horses to Follow

The trends are clear: you want a Juddmonte or Coolmore-bred filly with a recent trial win behind her, proven form over at least a mile and a quarter, connections who have specifically targeted Epsom, and the class to handle one of the most demanding tracks in racing. For punters exploring the latest horse racing betting opportunities ahead of the Classic, these are the fillies whose profiles tick the most boxes. Here are five runners from this year’s Oaks field who stand out on both trends and form.

 

The Five Horses

1. Amelia Earhart – The Cheshire Oaks Queen

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien

Odds: 2/1 (Betfred ante-post)

Best piece of form: Won the Weatherbys Cheshire Oaks at Chester, beating I’m The One by two lengths in a manner that drew immediate comparisons to last year’s Oaks winner Minnie Hauk, who completed the same Cheshire Oaks to Epsom Oaks double in 2025.

Trend fit: Fits the key Oaks profile precisely: a trial winner with Coolmore connections, trainer O’Brien landing a 10th Cheshire Oaks win, and a filly who quickened sharply under a confident ride at a track that placed strong emphasis on stamina and class.

Betting appeal: The 2/1 is short but entirely justified by the Cheshire Oaks form and the precedent set by Minnie Hauk last year; a win bet is the play if you believe O’Brien has found another Oaks queen, with the each-way terms offering limited value at this price in a field of this size.

 

Trainer: John and Thady Gosden

Odds: 3/1 (Betfred ante-post)

Best piece of form: Won the Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York by three-quarters of a length from Felicitas in a hard-fought renewal on her seasonal debut, showing genuine determination to hold off a sustained challenge from the runner-up after a green early display.

Trend fit: The Musidora Stakes has produced two winners and two seconds for the Oaks in the last five years; Legacy Link is a daughter of Dubawi, a Juddmonte homebred confirmed for Epsom by both trainer John Gosden and jockey Colin Keane; Gosden’s Musidora winners have a strong record at Epsom, including Soul Sister in 2023.

Betting appeal: At 3/1 she represents the most straightforward each-way option in the field; she was green at York on her seasonal reappearance and Gosden made clear she will improve significantly for the run, which makes the current price attractive for a filly with proven trial form and strong connections.

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3. Precise – The Irish Guineas Winner

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien

Odds: 4/1 (Betfred ante-post)

Best piece of form: Won the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh on 24 May 2026, ridden by Wayne Lordan, in a performance that prompted O’Brien to immediately confirm her for the Epsom Oaks; the trainer noted her dam is a Galileo mare with strong stamina in the pedigree and that Lordan felt she ran through the line.

Trend fit: All 12 of the last 12 Oaks winners had at least one run that season and all ran within 34 days of the race; Precise arrives having won a Group 1 two weeks before Epsom, which is both race-fit and in career-best form; the key question is whether she gets the mile and a half on a track that tests stamina more than any other Classic course.

Betting appeal: The 4/1 is fair value for a filly who arrives as a Group 1 winner in current form; an each-way bet makes strong sense given the uncertainty around whether she stays the full Epsom mile and a half, but if she does stay, she has the class to win.

 

4. Venetian Lace – The Market Mover

Trainer: Update once declarations confirmed

Odds: 7/1 (Betfred ante-post)

Best piece of form: Listed in the top tier of the early Oaks market at 7/1; update this section with confirmed form and trainer details once declarations are made and the full picture of her preparation becomes clear.

Trend fit: At 7/1 she sits in the sweet spot of the Oaks market; only two of the last 12 winners were favourites, but eight of the 12 came from the top three or four in the betting, which means a 7/1 shot who runs a creditable race is firmly within the historical winning profile range.

Betting appeal: Update once trainer and prep race details are confirmed closer to declarations; at 7/1 she represents a speculative each-way option pending further information from connections.

 

5. Cameo – The Each-Way Outsider

Trainer: Update once declarations confirmed

Odds: 12/1 (Betfred ante-post)

Best piece of form: Listed in the Betfred market at 12/1; update this section with confirmed form, trainer details and prep race information once declarations are made in the days before the race.

Trend fit: The biggest-priced Oaks winner in the last 20 renewals was Qualify at 50/1 in 2015; history shows that outsiders can and do win this race, particularly when they arrive race-fit and with stamina in their pedigree; 10 of the last 12 winners started at 5/1 or greater, which means the market is not always a reliable guide at Epsom.

Betting appeal: A speculative each-way bet at 12/1 may represent value if her prep race form and trainer comments are encouraging once declared; update once the full picture is available.

 

The Verdict

If the trends point anywhere, it is towards Legacy Link as the most complete profile in the field; a Musidora winner trained by the stable who won the Oaks with Soul Sister in 2023, confirmed for Epsom by both trainer and jockey, and a filly who will improve significantly from her seasonal debut at York.

And Precise as the each-way value pick at 4/1; a Group 1 winner two weeks before Epsom, in current form and with a stamina pedigree that O’Brien believes is suited to a mile and a half, she represents genuine interest at a fair price.

But in the Epsom Oaks, there are no certainties – only good reasons to watch.

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