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ITV Racing Tips on June 5th - Friday's selections on Epsom Oaks day

jon-vine
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Last updated: Thu 04 Jun 2026 13:45
The 2026 Epsom Derby Festival begins on Friday, with ITV Racing broadcasting six live races from Epsom Downs, including the classic Epsom Oaks. Key tips include Coyy (1:30pm), The Bookkeeper (2:05pm), Ice Max (2:40pm), Spoken Truth (3:15pm), and Man Of La Mancha (4:40pm). Recommendations focus on each horse’s recent form and conditions, with an emphasis on soft-ground specialists and favorable draws. Notable value bets and anticipated competitive action cap off an exciting day for racing fans and punters.
jon-vine
Jon Vine 4 hours ago
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  • Free tips for the ITV races on Friday 5th June
  • The Epsom Derby Festival begins on Friday
  • Ice Max and Man Of La Mancha feature in our selections
persica
Epsom racecourse. (Getty)

The 2026 Epsom Derby Festival kicks off on Friday afternoon. ITV Racing will be showing six races live from the famous Epsom Downs, including the 2026 edition of the Epsom Oaks.

Here are my best betting tips for Friday's ITV races at Epsom.

ITV Racing Schedule


Time Title
1:30pm Win With Zyn 3YO "Dash" Handicap (Class 2) 5f
2:05pm Oddschecker British EBF Woodcote Stakes (Conditions Race) (Class 2) 6f
2:40pm Betfred Diomed Stakes (Group 3) 1m½f
3:15pm Betfred "Nifty 50" Handicap (Class 2) 1m2f
4:00pm Betfred Oaks (Group 1) 1m4f
4:40pm HKJC World Pool Handicap (Class 2) 1m½f

ITV Racing Tips - Friday 5th June


1:30pm Epsom - 3YO Dash Handicap Tips


The organisers have made a wise move in switching the 3YO Dash to Friday's card. As someone who prefers the longer-format races, having back-to-back five-furlong sprints leading into the Epsom Derby didn't make much sense to me.

All three previous winners of this handicap returned a single-figure SP, and I could see COYY (11/1) being backed towards the head of the betting. Eve Johnson Houghton's sprinter has benefitted from more patient tactics on his last couple of starts, and came through a whole heap of trouble to win at Windsor on his penultimate start.

Coyy looked in danger of getting outpaced at the midway point of his most recent run at Goodwood. Wedonttellies picked up nicely to claim a cosy victory in the end, but Johnson Houghton will have been pleased to see Coyy finish strongly in third.

With Charlie Bishop unable to do 8-7, the in-form Saffie Osborne comes in for the ride on Friday, and Coyy looks to have landed a nice draw amongst the speed horses in stall six.

2:05pm Epsom - Woodcote Stakes Tips


The last eight winners of the Woodcote all won on their most recent start, and the last three came from stall six. Favourite Possessive will spring from that lucky stall on Friday, but I'd still rather take a punt on THE BOOKKEEPER (14/1) at a double-figure price.

Richard Hughes' newcomer missed the break on his debut over five furlongs at Salisbury, but finished nicely to place fourth. Over seven furlongs on softer ground at Haydock, The Bookkeeper claimed a comfortable maiden victory, beating three rivals after showing a decent turn of foot.

Dropping down slightly to six furlongs shouldn't inconvenience Hector Crouch's mount, and I like his low draw in stall three. Soft-ground form could be important on Friday, and there looks to be much more to come from this scopey son of Sioux Nation.

2:40pm Epsom - Diomed Stakes Tips


The top two from last season's renewal of the Diomed Stakes will meet again on Friday, and I'm backing ICE MAX (11/2) to reverse those placings with Persica.

Karl Burke's star pulled hard after breaking well from stall one, but still muscled his way into contention at the two pole before being collared late on by the well-backed Persica. Ice Max went on to claim back-to-back wins at York and Nottingham, and shaped well on his ten-furlong debut in the Huxley Stakes at Chester.

Sam James' mount ran a little flat when only sixth behind Boiling Point in the Festival Stakes at Goodwood, but he was still beaten by less than two lengths. The softer the ground, the better for Ice Max on Friday, and James' mount should be able to settle a little better on this occasion, as the pace looks set to be a strong one.

persica
Ice Max narrowly loses out to Persica in the 2025 Diomed Stakes. (Getty)

3:15pm Epsom - Nifty 50 Handicap Tips


In a race where most of the entrants will fancy their chances, I'm going to take a punt on SPOKEN TRUTH (16/1). Having lost his way for Dermot Weld, this Frankel gelding was sold to The Horse Watchers over the winter, and he's since run well three times for new trainer David O'Meara.

Spoken Truth caught the eye when staying on into fourth on his stable debut at Doncaster, before bumping into course specialist Spioradalta at Ripon in April. O'Meara's recruit then encountered trouble from stall one at Redcar, but managed to extricate himself from the rail in time to finish a clear second behind the front-running winner, Danger Bay.

Luke Morris' mount won his maiden on soft Irish ground, and Spoken Truth is certainly on a winnable mark of 86, having clocked RPRs of 92 on his two most recent starts. O'Meara is no stranger to handicap success around Epsom, and Spoken Truth offers good value at his current price.

4:00pm Epsom - Epsom Oaks Tips


Read our full guide to the 2026 Epsom Oaks to find out who we've backed in Friday's Classic feature.

Visit our Epsom Oaks Live stream page if you want to watch any of Friday's races via a mobile or tablet.

4:40pm Epsom - HKJC World Pool Handicap Tips


Friday's ITV coverage ends with another ultra-competitive handicap. MAN OF LA MANCHA (15/2) progressed nicely during his three-year-old campaign, and has done little wrong in two high-profile assignments so far this term.

Having started 2025 with a rating of 71, Man Of La Mancha won handicaps at Windsor, Sandown and Newmarket last term, while also placing behind Indalo and Gladius on a couple of occasions. Ralph Beckett's gelding finished a close fourth on his return to action during the Guineas Meeting, and got unlucky when fifth at Newbury last time out, where he was badly hampered when trying to mount a challenge.

Man Of La Mancha won nicely on his only previous start on softer ground, and Beckett's horses usually improve for a bit of cut in the surface. A low draw usually proves to be advantageous in this one-mile handicap, and most of the pace has been drawn on the inside part of the track.

Verdict

Friday's Top Tips:

Best Bet1: Ice Man 2:40pm Epsom @9/2 at BOYLE Sports - 5 Units
Best Bet2: Man Of La Mancha 4:40pm Epsom @15/2 at bet365 - 5 Units
Best Bet3: Coyy E/W 1:30pm Epsom @11/1 at Star Sports - 5 Units
Best Bet4: Spoken Truth E/W 3:15pm Epsom @16/1 at Betgoodwin - 5 Units
Ice Man
2:40pm Epsom
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4:40pm Epsom
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Bet at bet365
Coyy E/W
1:30pm Epsom
@11/1 - 5 Units
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Bet at Star Sports
Spoken Truth E/W
3:15pm Epsom
@16/1 - 5 Units
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