The inch of rain that fell at Epsom Downs south of London earlier this week may work in favor of Wild Illusion, the favorite for Friday’s Group 1 English Oaks.Wild Illusion, who was 5-2 as of Wednesday, won the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Chantilly, France, on soft turf last October and was fourth in her only start this year, which came on good-to-firm turf in the Group 1 English 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 6.The turf is expected to be soft for Friday’s $663,500 English Oaks at 1 1/2 miles on turf, which will be Wild Illusion’s first start beyond a mile. Wild Illusion races for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing and trainer Charlie Appleby.“I’ve always thought that stepping up in trip was going to be Wild Illusion’s forte,” Appleby said on Godolphin’s website. “While I’m not saying she’s soft ground-dependent, she’ll certainly appreciate a cut in the ground.”Wild Illusion, by Dubawi, will be ridden for the first time by William Buick, who replaces James Doyle. In the 1000 Guineas, Wild Illusion finished 2 3/4 lengths behind the 66-1 winner Billesden Brook. Laurens, who was second, returned to win the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary in France last Sunday. Wild Illusion is expected to race near the front in the English Oaks.“She sets a good gallop and she maintains it well,” Appleby said. “It’s pleasing to see that she has progressed from 2 to 3 and that she has held her ability at this high level.”Of the nine runners in the English Oaks, five are trained by Aidan O’Brien – Bye Bye Baby, Flattering, Forever Together, I Can Fly, and Magic Wand. Magic Wand and Forever Together were first and second in the Cheshire Oaks at Chester Racecourse on May 9 and are rated as O’Brien’s best chances.The English Oaks will be the group stakes debut for the undefeated Perfect Clarity, who won the Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes in her stakes debut at Lingfield Park near London on May 12 for trainer Clive Cox.Cracksman in 2018 debutCracksman, the future-book favorite for the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Oct. 7, will be a heavy favorite at Epsom on Friday in the Group 1 Coronation Cup. Cracksman faces five rivals at 1 1/2 miles.A 4-year-old trained by John Gosden, Cracksman won the Group 1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp on April 29 in his first start of the year. Cracksman ended 2017 with a win in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot last October.The $557,340 Coronation Cup includes two other notable stakes winners in Hawkbill and Idaho. Hawkbill, trained by Appleby, won the $6 million Sheema Classic at Meydan Racecourse on March 31. Idaho won the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot last June.