Equinties - the Oaks

Gm Equinauts

Well, the rain has come over Epsom and the first race will be a watching brief to see just how much the ground has turned.

The going is currently described as good to soft, with some good left in places but that might all change after the first with some showers expected.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUND UP

THE GROUND

It’s Epsom weekend AND WE LOVE IT.

There’s been plenty of chat coming into the showdown on the Downs, and a lot of that nattering has centred around the ground. Fair enough! People are learning!

After such a hot start to the Flat season, it would have been hard to predict a wet weather Oaks and Derby, but that is what we might have store over the next couple of days and for some reason we’ve got a feeling it’ll be wet weather for a little bit longer.

We’ve had it too good recently haven’t we?

And by that we don’t mean punting conditions (because most things can win on good ground), we’re talking about every one walking round with tan’s like they’ve been living in Majorca!

Anyway, let’s focus on today because today might be a different story all together with punters being beacons of unseasonal orange light tan, trackside, under the grey clouds of Epsom…

5mm of rain (and watering at the start of the week, would you believe it) saw Andrew Cooper officially describe the ground as good, good to soft in places from good yesterday evening.

After the official description was given out yesterday, we do believe Epsom had a shower, and they could expect a small drizzle today, but apart from that, they are in the clear for Oaks Day.

There will be some horses that have been waiting for slower conditions (we’ll talk about them in our previews), but this ground shouldn’t be too negative for the majority of horses today. However, just have a look through the form book when studying today; it really wouldn’t hurt to find a few horses who like soft or good to soft conditions, right?

As for Derby Day, they are expecting rain from the early hours of the morning all the way through to the start of the Derby! This will probably turn the ground towards soft outright, and that sentence alone would send shivers down the spine of any RULING COURT backers. First time at 1m4f on slow ground? That is a tough assignment given the trip isn’t a certain in itself…

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