Sport

Inside Line: Secret Satire to land telling blow in Betfred Oaks at Epsom for Andrew Balding

Secret Satire
Andrew Balding’s Secret Satire can grab Classic Glory in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom on Friday afternoon (Mike Egerton)

Secret Satire can follow up her impressive Musidora victory by galloping to glory in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom on Friday afternoon.

The Andrew Balding-trained daughter of Advertise will hope to follow a tried-and-tested path of winning at York before going on to frank the form in the mile-and-a-half fillies’ Classic.

Soul Sister did the double last season and Snowfall also backed up victory on the Kanvesmire by going on to win at Epsom in 2021, while Emily Upjohn, hampered by a slow start, was only denied a short head by Tuesday in the 2022 renewal.

Secret Satire was two-and-a-half lengths behind Siyola on her seasonal debut at Sandown in April and came on for that run in fine style at York.

Sent off at 22/1 in the hands of Oisin Murphy she stayed on strongly up the straight to see off Francophone – a Listed winner at Goodwood last weekend – by two lengths.

While her stamina could be a question mark over an additional two furlongs, she is well worth chancing at the likely prices.

The aforementioned Emily Upjohn is fancied to become the first mare since Triptych in 1988 to win back-to-back Holland Cooper Coronation Cups.

The five-year-old was held up last year under Frankie Dettori before being asked for an effort two furlongs out and went on to beat Westover by one-and-three-quarter lengths.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained daughter of Sea The Stars was fifth on her reappearance in the Sheema Classic at Meydan in March, beaten three-and-a-half lengths behind Charlie Appleby’s Rebel’s Romance.

Fully entitled to improve for what was her first run since last year’s King George, she is more than proven over the undulations of Epsom and rates a very solid option.

Coronation Stakes winner Emily Upjohn should prove the main rival to Paddington in the Eclipse
Emily Upjohn (right) is fancied to become the first mare since Triptych in 1988 to win back-to-back Holland Cooper Coronation Cups

The Ralph Beckett-trained Zoum Zoum can make it four wins from five starts in the Aston Martin Surrey Stakes.

The three-year-old gelding was beaten for the first time in his career in the Greenham Stakes when in a dead-heat for second with El Bodon as Esquire ran out the winner.

Two of his wins have some on heavy ground with the third on the all-weather at Kempton, so any ease underfoot will be to his liking as he drops down to Listed company after that Group Three contest at Newbury.

Swindon makes his first start on turf for William Haggas in the Trade Centre Wales Novice Stakes at Chepstow and can follow up his impressive debut on the all-weather at Wolverhampton to maintain his 100 per cent record.

In the hands of Cieren Fallon he made all and despite drifting in the closing stages stayed on to win comfortably, with the race producing a host of subsequent winners.

IRISH NEWS YANKEE

NAP

Secret Satire (4.30 Epsom)

DOUBLE

Emily Upjohn (3.10 Epsom)

TREBLE

Zoum Zoum (5.10 Epsom)

YANKEE

Swindon (1.50 Chepstow)