Trial races for the Epsom Oaks are horse races during April and May which are contested by three-year-old fillies likely to run in The Oaks in early June.
The leading trial of recent years has been the 1,000 Guineas Stakes, which has been contested by eight subsequent winners of the Oaks in the last twenty-five years. The following table shows races classed at Listed level or above which served as a trial for an Oaks winner during the period 1992 to 2023.
Race Oaks winners from race 1992–2018 (won unless stated) Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial Imagine (2nd) Prix Finlande Intrepidity Fred Darling Stakes Sariska (4th) 1,000 Guineas Stakes Balanchine (2nd), Moonshell (3rd), Reams of Verse (6th), Shahtoush (2nd)Kazzia, Casual Look (6th), Qualify (last), Minding, Love Pretty Polly Stakes Ouija Board, Talent, Taghrooda Athasi Stakes Imagine (3rd) Cheshire Oaks Light Shift, Enable, Forever Together (2nd) Lingfield Oaks Trial User Friendly, Lady Carla, Ramruma, Look Here (2nd). Anapurna Musidora Stakes Reams of Verse, Alexandrova (2nd), Sariska, Snowfall, Soul Sister Fillies' Trial Stakes Eswarah, Dancing Rain (2nd) Height of Fashion Stakes Love Divine, Snow Fairy Prix Saint-Alary Intrepidity Irish 1,000 Guineas Shahtoush (10th), Imagine, Qualify (10th), Minding (2nd), Tuesday (2nd) The Height of Fashion Stakes was known as the Lupe Stakes before 2007.
2012 Oaks contenders Notable early-season appearances by horses which ran in the 2012 Oaks.
Betterbetterbetter: 2nd Cheshire Oaks Colima: 2nd Lingfield Oaks Trial Coquet: 1st Height of Fashion Stakes Devotion: 2nd Derrinstown Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial Kailani: 1st Pretty Polly Stakes Maybe: 3rd 1,000 Guineas Stakes Nayarra: 2nd Nell Gwyn Stakes, 9th 1,000 Guineas Stakes, 4th Height of Fashion Stakes Shirocco Star: 2nd Fillies' Trial Stakes The Fugue: 4th 1,000 Guineas Stakes, 1st Musidora Stakes Twirl: 2nd Park Express Stakes, 2nd Musidora Stakes Vow: 1st Lingfield Oaks Trial Was (winner): 3rd Blue Wind Stakes
See also Trial races for the Epsom Derby
References Racing Post race records of the last twenty-one Oaks winners: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012