York’s Knavesmire hosts a high-class programme on Thursday, with the Legends Global Yorkshire Oaks set to take centre stage as a fascinating clash among middle-distance fillies and mares.
Kalpana returns after King George success
Andrew Balding’s Kalpana arrives at York off the back of a notable victory in the King George at Ascot and is expected to be among the principal players in the Yorkshire Oaks. Her seasonal form includes a win at Ascot in which she beat several leading middle-distance performers, underscoring her credentials over a mile and a half.
Last year’s winner, Minnie Hauk, is also declared and will be watched closely. She was runner-up in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last season and took this race a year ago, so if she reproduces her best she will pose a stern challenge.
Major contenders and recent form
- Johanna Walsh(Joseph O’Brien) – the Irish Oaks winner, having beaten Inis Mor by a clear margin, represents the leading three-year-old in the Classic crop and appears to be progressing.
- Legacy Link– successful in the Musidora at York in May and runner-up to Thundering On in the Epsom Oaks, but she disappointed in the Ribblesdale and will be seeking a return to form.
- Tattycoram(Ralph Beckett) – arrives on an upward curve after a wide-margin Group Two victory, which adds her to the shortlist of improvers who could impact the finish.
- Earth Shot(William Haggas) – the Ribblesdale winner at Ascot last year, she finished behind Johanna Walsh in the Irish Oaks and will be aiming to rediscover that earlier form.
- Sparan Nua(Jim Bolger) andSugar Island(Aidan O’Brien) complete the nine-strong field named for the Yorkshire Oaks.
Sprinters to the fore in the Lowther Stakes
Also on the card the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (Group Two) has attracted a large entry, with 19 fillies declared for the six-furlong contest. Libertango, winner of the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and a recent market leader for this division, is among the high-profile names.
George Boughey’s Libertango backed up her Royal Ascot success with a fine second in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket and retains plenty of interest. Billy Loughnane is expected to take the ride.
- Several who met in the Queen Mary are re-opposed, including Crownbreaker, Alta Regina, Shimmering Sun, Wild Blossom and Crystal Queen.
- Moonrise, winner of a Group Three at Ascot since finishing second in the Windsor Castle, bids to give Andrew Balding a victory in a race his late father Ian won in 1979.
- Irish contenders include Star Of State, who followed an easy maiden victory at Leopardstown with a strong performance, and Livenka, trained by Ger Lyons, who has previously beaten Star Of State and has since won the Ballyhane Stakes at Naas.
Other notable entries
The card also features the Harry’s Half Million By Goffs, headed in the declarations by Tokaido (Amy Murphy) and Sun Goddess (Aidan O’Brien), adding further depth to a meeting that showcases some of the season’s leading juvenile and Classic-age fillies.
With a mixture of proven Group performers and promising younger horses, York’s Thursday meeting offers plenty for racegoers to savour. The Yorkshire Oaks in particular presents a genuine mid-summer test for the best middle-distance fillies and mares, while the sprint contests provide an early look at the next crop of fast juveniles.
