2023 Classic Tips – 1000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks ante-post previews

Jon Vine

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Last updated: Wed 29 Mar 2023 16:52

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Jon Vine 29 Mar 2023

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An early look at the two British Classics for fillies in 2023
The 1000 Guineas will be run at Newmarket on Sunday 7th May
This year’s Epsom Oaks will be run on June 2nd

Classic Tips for 1000 Guineas Epsom Oaks

Rob Hornby riding Bluestocking win The Byerley Stud British EBF Novice Stakes (GBB Race) (Div 1) at Salisbury. (Getty)

With the new flat racing season about to kick off, punters are already excitedly looking through the betting for the five Classics.

Having covered the colts division earlier in the week, it’s the turn of the fillies today. In this article 12 months ago, we flagged up the Oaks winner in Tuesday, while also highlighting another Group One winner in Prosperous Voyage. Here's our ante-post look at the 2023 1000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks.

2023 1000 Guineas Odds

Name	Odds
Tahiyra	5/2
Meditate	3/1
Statuette	4/1
Mawj	14/1
Dream Of Love	16/1
Electric Eyes	16/1
Bar	20/1

2023 1000 Guineas Tips

With Tahiyra likely to remain in Ireland to target the Irish 1000 Guineas and Statuette set to miss the first half of the season through injury, Meditate will soon be the favourite for the 2023 1000 Guineas. Mawj edged out Dream Of Love to win the Meydan Fillies Classic, before bolting up in the Jumeriah Fillies Guineas. Both will line up in this Classic at Newmarket and remain open to further improvement.

Aidan O'Brien said during his stable tour that he was planning to run DAME KIRI in one of the 1000 Guineas Trials in Ireland. This beautifully-bred daughter of US Triple Crown winner Justify ran four times last season, twice placing over a mile before thrashing a future winner by ten lengths in a six furlong maiden last October.

Galileo also features in Dame Kiri's breeding - an important trait with most of Aidan O'Brien's Classic winners. She's certainly a filly worth following during the 2023 season.

Ralph Beckett is a master at nurturing talented fillies and he could have a genuine 1000 Guineas contender on his hands with LOSE YOURSELF.

This daughter of Lope De Vega made all to win first time out on the July Course, before running a cracker behind Midnight Mile in the Pretty Polly Stakes, where she hung towards the centre of the track throughout the final two furlongs of that contest. That was more due to Lose Yourself's inexperience than her not handling the Rowley Mile and she could go off much shorter than 33/1 for this year's 1000 Guineas.

QUEEN ME is another interesting entrant for Kevin Ryan. Ryan's filly won nicely on her first juvenile start at Haydock, before placing in both the Lowther and Firth Of Clyde Stakes.

Although all three of her juvenile starts came over six furlongs, Queen Me is by Dubawi, out of a Frankel filly, so I see no reason why she won't be able to see out a mile when given the opportunity.

2023 Epsom Oaks Odds

Name	Odds
Tahiyra	7/1
Statuette	16/1
Bluestocking	20/1
Be Happy	20/1
Bridestones	25/1
Never Ending Story	25/1
Dream Of Love	25/1
Bar	28/1

2023 Epsom Oaks Tips

Given his excellent record in the Oaks, Aidan O'Brien's stable is the first place to look when searching for a potential Oaks winner. Be Happy is the most prominent of O'Brien's fillies in the ante-post betting, but I fancy BEGINNINGS may progress into a Classic contender.

The second foal out of four-time Grade One winner Winter, Beginnings got off the mark at the second attempt in a seven-furlong maiden at Dundalk in November. This tall, rangy filly is by top Japanese sire Lord Kanaloa, who sired champion middle distances horses like Almond Eye and Panthalassa. Beginnings could reach the highest level during 2023.

My best bet for the Oaks at this stage of the season would be Ralph Beckett's BLUESTOCKING. This daughter of former Derby winner Camelot won on her sole juvenile start at Salisbury, powering home from off the pace to win easily over a mile.

Bluestocking is out of a former Group One winner in Emulous and Beckett knows the family extremely well, having trained both of Emulous' first two foals, Desirous and Pomelo to reach a decent level. I'm confident that Bluestocking is far more talented than her two half-sisters and I can't wait to see what she achieves during the coming season.

The Gosdens often have a big say in what goes down in the Epsom Oaks. Soul Sister won first time out at Doncaster last October and she could be bound for Epsom. As could INNER SPACE, who made an even more striking first impression at Kempton in November.

Rab Havlin's mount made the running on debut, kicking clear of some decent rivals down the straight to win by a commanding four lengths. Inner Space is by Siyouni and out of Journey, who won two Group Ones for John Gosden over the Oaks distance. She's bred to go right to the very top.

Verdict

Dame Kiri and Lose Yourself are two of our three ante-post fancies for the 2023 1000 Guineas. Bluestocking is our early selection for this year's Oaks.

Dame Kiri

Win

@25/1 - 5 Units

Bet £10 Get £30

with bonus code NEWBONUS

Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad

Bet at bet365

Lose Yourself

Win

@33/1 - 5 Units

Bet £10 Get £30

with bonus code NEWBONUS

Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad

Bet at bet365

Bluestocking

Win

@20/1 - 5 Units

Bet £10 Get £30

with bonus code NEWBONUS

Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad

Bet at bet365