Emily Upjohn the horse to beat in the Oaks

Epsom, Friday, June 3: The two-day Derby Festival begins today at Epsom with the Oaks (5th race/5.30pm/550,000 pounds/2420m) taking center stage. Highly traded is John and Thady Gosden`s Emily Upjohn (Frankie Dettori), who proved her great class in the Musidora Stakes (Group 3) and came out superior. Hardly rated lower is training companion Nashwa (Hollie Doyle), who played `cat and mouse` with her opponents in the Fillies Trial at Newbury. In the running are three mares owned by Aidan O`Brien. Tuesday (Ryan Moore) and Concert Hall (Seamie Heffernan) placed last in the Irish 1000 Guineas. The former was also ahead in the English equivalent. Thoughts Of June (Wayne Lordan) won at List level at Chester against Above The Curve, who was later ahead in the Prix Saint-Alary (Group 1) at Longchamp.

In the Coronation Cup (3rd race/16.10pm/445,000 pounds/2420m) Pyledriver (Frankie Dettori) tries to defend his title from last year. Most recently, the five-year-old finished fourth in the Dubai Sheema Classic (Group 1). At the same time, Manobo (William Buick) contested his last race in the Dubai Gold Cup (Group 2), where he finished a strong second. Together with High Definition (Ryan Moore), who was narrowly beaten in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Group 1), he is among the closest favorites.