2021 Epsom Oaks Tips - 6/1 shot looks overpriced at Epsom

Day two of Epsom's Derby meeting is headlined by the Epsom Oaks, the fillies' equivalent of the Epsom Derby. Few people know this, but the Oaks was actually run the year before the Derby, and a top-quality field has been entered into the 2021 renewal of this historic race.

The field has now been confirmed and the draw has been made for Friday's Classic. Here's our guide to the Oaks and our best betting tips.

Just like Derby, Aidan O'Brien boasts a strong record in the Oaks, having won it five times in the last decade. Therefore, it's no surprise to see two Ballydoyle runners topping this year's betting, with Santa Barbara leading the way.

Santa Barbara was backed in from 33/1 to 7/4 favourite for the 1000 Guineas, based purely on Aidan O'Brien's positive quotes during a pre-season stable tour. The favourite didn't run badly at Newmarket, travelling well and staying on gamely to finish fourth behind stablemate, Mother Earth.

While she ran a perfectly respectable race, there was no sign of the equine monster that O'Brien had led us all into believing would romp home in the Guineas. Santa Barbara looked no bigger than any of the other fillies in the field, and the only plausible excuse for that defeat is inexperience, as it was just her second career start. 

Santa Barbara will be joined by Snowfall, who claimed an impressive win in the Musidora Stakes on her three-year-old reappearance at York. The riders aboard Noon Star and Teona may lament the decision to afford Ryan Moore such a soft lead, but I think Snowfall was by far the best filly on the day and she's greatly respected.

Willow and Divinely could make up a quartet for Aidan O'Brien in the Oaks. Neither, however, have impressed this season, and it would be a big shock if either was good enough to win.

Dubai Fountain made all to beat Zeyaadah in the Cheshire Oaks, which has proven a good trial for the Oaks in recent years. Although Mark Johnston's filly ran out a worthy winner, many fancy Zeyaadah will improve more for that outing and she sits closest to the Ballydoyle fillies in the betting.

Despite losing out comfortably to Snowfall at York, Teona remains prominent in the Oaks betting. Roger Varian's filly was very keen in the early stages of the Musidora, and those antics proved fatal towards the end of the race. 

Saffron Beach was beaten narrowly in the Nell Gwyn on her reappearance, and finished a length runner-up to Mother Earth in the Guineas. While I'm not totally convinced she's crying out for further than a mile, Jane Chapple-Hyam has a classy, tenacious filly on her hands and Saffron Beach should be watched closely.

Sherbet Lemon defeated Save A Forest, Ocean Road, Divinely and Technique in the Oaks Trial at Lingfield. As even the winner can be found at 33/1, the bookies clearly feel that was the worst of the lead-up races for the Oaks. 

Yet, I felt the winner hasn't got the credit she deserved, and I felt Ocean Road ran a good race, having been forced to come from the rear after missing the break. Both would have to be considered dangerous outsiders, were they to turn up at Epsom.

Mystery Angel has been supplemented into the mix by George Boughey, after running two excellent races so far this season. I'm not quite sure whether she has the stamina for this trip, but after finishing fourth in the Musidora, she warrants a crack in what looks a wide-open Oaks.

I was keen to take Santa Barbara on in the 1000 Guineas, and I'm going to do so again here. She might have been touted like the next superstar off Aidan O'Brien's conveyor belt and her breeding suggests she will get this trip nicely, but nothing I've seen Santa Barbara produce on the track tells me she's worthy of such a short price.

Snowfall and Dubai Fountain were handed easy leads when winning their trial, and both will look to make the running again. However, front-running has not proven to be a profitable tactic in the Oaks in recent years. Only three fillies have won this Classic from the front this century.

After Zeyaadah came out of the draw with the worst stall of all, stall one, I'm going to take a punt on TEONA improving on her reappearance effort at York.

To try and combat her greenness early in races, Roger Varian has fitted head-gear for the first time at Epsom. This will be the quickest ground this daughter of Sea The Stars has ever faced. Yet, her dam, Ambivalent won a Group One on quick ground, and we all know how well her sire dealt with the camber of Epsom Downs when he won the Derby in 2009.