The horse racing week ahead

With the greatest of respect to all the other meetings this week this next few days are all about the Oaks and the Derby at Epsom. It is Oaks day on Friday with fifteen three-year-old fillies currently entered for the big race with the Aidan O'Brien trained Ylang Ylang heading the market. Also on the card Friday is the Group One Coronation Cup for the older horses over the one-mile-four furlongs; filly Emily Upjohn currently heading the market for that. Saturday is Derby day and at the time of writing we have a potential maximum field of twenty for the race headed in the market by another Aidan O'Brien trained one in the shape of City Of Troy looking to re-build his reputation after a ninth placed finish in the 2,000 Guineas.

Come Sunday attention will be across the Channel where we have the Group One Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, the French Derby, at Chantilly. It is perhaps not tath surprising that another Ballydoyle inmate heads the market for this in the shape of Diego Velazquez with Fast Tracker the main hope it appears for the French. On a decent card they also have the Prix de Sandringham, Prix de Royaumont, Prix de Gros-Chene and Grand Prix de Chantilly.