Tag Archive for: Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks

Content collects Yorkshire Oaks glory for O’Brien and Moore

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Content gained revenge on her Irish Oaks conqueror You Got To Me to claim the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks at York.

A daughter of Galileo out of dual Nunthorpe winner Mecca’s Angel, it was somewhat fitting that Aidan O’Brien’s filly was enjoying her finest hour on the Knavesmire as she registered the biggest victory of her carer.

Keen in the early stages in the hands of Ryan Moore as stablemate Port Fairy led the field along in company with William Haggas’ Sea Theme, the eye was drawn to Emily Upjohn as the runners entered the straight.

John and Thady Gosden’s mare breezed to the head of proceedings in the hands of Kieran Shoemark, but Curragh one-two You Got To Me and Content (3-1 favourite) were never far behind as the trio became looked in a three-way battle in the closing stages.

Content and Ralph Beckett’s Classic heroine edged their way past eventual third Emily Upjohn with the line approaching, but this time around it was the Ballydoyle filly who pulled out extra to become the late, great Galileo’s 100th individual Group One winner.

It was an eighth Yorkshire Oaks for O’Brien, who has now won four of the last five runnings of the mile-and-a-half event.

“She has come forward since the Curragh and every time we have stepped her up in trip she has improved,” said O’Brien.

“We ran her in the fillies’ race on (Irish) Derby weekend, the Pretty Polly, to see if she would get a mile and a quarter and she finished behind two older fillies. Ryan came in and said no doubt she will get a mile and a half and we went to the Irish Oaks and we had a pacemaker that didn’t go fast enough for her and the race never opened up for her.

Aidan O'Brien celebrates another big winner at York
Aidan O’Brien celebrates another big winner at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

“Ryan gave her an incredible ride and she’s not straightforward or easy. She has a lot of pace and he did an incredible job to get her relaxed. The pace was stronger today and she kept coming. Ryan was surprised because she was so keen but she kept coming from the three-furlong marker. It was incredible ride and she is a very brave filly who will be better in a faster-run race.

“She could go to one of the fillies’ (Arc) trials, she could go to an Arc or a Vermeille or to America. She’s definitely going to be better where the pace is strong, wherever that is, as she is still racing in a gear too high. When she gets into a gear which has other horses out of their comfort zone, she will be comfortable and it will be amazing to see what she can do off that kind of pace.”



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Bluestocking and You Got To Me stand ground for Yorkshire Oaks

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Ralph Beckett holds a strong hand in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks after both Irish Oaks heroine You Got To Me and Bluestocking featured among the confirmations.

While Bluestocking remains in the mix for Wednesday’s Juddmonte International Stakes at York, You Got To Me is firmly on course for the mile-and-a-half event as she bids to add to her Curragh Classic success.

Beckett indicated a final call on which race Bluestocking runs in will be made over the weekend.

“A decision will be made over the weekend about Bluestocking’s participation, where she goes. Obviously, she is in the Juddmonte International as well. So, we are going to have a discussion this weekend and make a final decision on that,” he said.

The Curragh was the first time You Got To Me – who is jointly-owned by Valmont and Newsells Park Stud – had struck at the highest level, but connections are confident she has now earned her spot at the top table with the Knavesmire Group One an obvious next port of call.

“It’s nice when you can pinpoint a race from way out and train towards it,” said Alex Elliott, Valmont’s racing adviser.

“I think she is pleasing Ralph and the team very much and it looks a very warm contest.

“It will be interesting to see where Ralph and Juddmonte go with Bluestocking, and Aidan O’Brien is going to run Content who we beat in Ireland.

“I think we are going there in hopefully good shape and can hopefully be competitive. I think (a lot will depend) if we can get her to do it properly again and pace is important. We got that in Ireland and it would help us if we could get that again, but it is never guaranteed.

“However, I think the filly is exactly where we want her at this stage.”

Queen Of The Pride (right) winning at Haydock
Queen Of The Pride (right) winning at Haydock (Richard Sellers/PA)

Group One regular Emily Upjohn and the rapidly-improving Queen Of The Pride give John and Thady Gosden two chances in a race the Clarehaven team won five years ago with Enable.

Aidan O’Brien has supplemented Irish Oaks runner-up Content to join Port Fairy as he seeks his fourth race victory in five years.

Another possible Irish raider is Dermot Weld’s progressive Munster Oaks scorer Sumiha, while David O’Meara’s Lava Stream struggled when set a Classic challenge at the Curragh most recently but before that was a narrow second in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

William Haggas’ Sea Theme won the Galtres Stakes and could return to York having impressed at Listed level in France last month, with Hughie Morrison’s Minstral Star also remaining in the hunt.



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