After a pulsating opener, York prepares for the regal visit on Thursday as Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) waves goodbye to her native England in the G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks. Apparently fresh after a tussle with Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) that would have drained most other competitors, Khalid Abdullah's unrelenting star mare has earned the unbeatable tag through her multiple efforts at this level. Chasing the Group 1 tally of Frankel (GB), which she will equal here all things being well, she will no doubt receive a fitting welcome back to the winner's enclosure almost the like of that awarded to the operation's pinnacle performer at this meeting in 2012.
En route to a third G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the 5-year-old has already conquered her chief opponent Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the July 6 G1 Eclipse S. on her seasonal debut. There is little prospect of that form being turned around as they meet for the third time, with the other encounter coming in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in November. Enable's stablemate Lah Ti Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is unlikely to be competitive based on her June 30 G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud third placing, but this is vital experience as the Lloyd-Webbers' homebred is primed for occupying some of the space left by Enable's imminent exit from the stage.
John Gosden is taking nothing for granted. “I don't see it that she's expected to win at all, I remember seeing Roberto beat Brigadier Gerard here. It's a little bit of a trappy race, you've got to work out who makes the running. Four-horse races can be messy and there's one in there [South Sea Pearl] who shouldn't be in there, but she is. Other than that they are three very good fillies, and Lah Ti Dar is in good form. We'll play it by ear as you can't have big plans for a race like that, I'll leave it to the jockey, he knows the filly and knows the track well. If there were eight runners it would be more straightforward, but it could be trappy–if it is, that's life. The big target always remains the Arc.
“I've no real concerns about her coming back from the King George, she's been in good form at home, Frankie only gave her one flick there, he was waving it thereafter. I can't go the whole of August, September and go 11 or 12 weeks without a run, as then she'd run too fresh so she needs a stepping stone and I don't want to go over for the Prix Vermeille. It makes sense to come here, but it's a prep, I'm not being rude as it's a Group 1 race, but as far as I'm concerned it's a prep for the Arc and is not the be-all and end-all so I'm quite relaxed.”
The Lloyd-Webber's racing and bloodstock manager Simon Marsh said of Lah Ti Dar, “They say never be scared of one, but in this case we've got to be scared of two. We've always been keen to run her in the Yorkshire Oaks as she loves York and has been training well. Andrew and Madeline are very excited about it and looking forward to the race, but we all appreciate that with Enable and Magical in the race it's a big ask. Enable is a beautiful, incredible filly and she's been so fantastic for the sport generally. She's been absolutely brilliantly handled by John and all the team at Clarehaven and we are very lucky to see a filly of her quality going on and racing at five.”
Aidan O'Brien sprang a minor surprise in the big race on Wednesday and said of Magical, “She seems to be in good form, she's had a little break and she's just ready to start her autumn campaign. Hopefully she will go well.”
The 2-year-old fillies open the card, with the G2 Lowther S. offering an intriguing clash between the July 31 G3 Molecomb S. winner Liberty Beach (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) and the July 27 G3 Princess Margaret S. scorer Under the Stars (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). The former is trying this six-furlong trip for the first time, but has given no indication that she is incapable of seeing it out having won in convincing fashion on stiff tracks at Beverley in the June 8 Hilary Needler Trophy and Sandown in the July 5 Listed Dragon S.
“Everything has been fine with her since Goodwood and I've been very happy with her, so it's fingers crossed,” trainer John Quinn said of Liberty Beach. “Obviously I hope she gets the extra furlong, that's why we're running, and she's never been stopping at the end of her races. In her last two races her last furlongs have been her most impressive–she has looked powerful crossing the line.”
Saeed Manana's Under the Stars will have no issue with conditions and if she builds on her success in that July 27 Ascot contest will be a formidable rival to the locally-trained Liberty Beach. Trainer James Tate said, “Although she works nicely, she doesn't overdo herself at home, so we didn't know how much she had in hand before the Princess Margaret, but it was nice to see the improvement she made there and she seems to have come on again. She was very impressive there. She didn't blow after the race and it didn't take much out of her. The quicker six furlongs won't hold any fears and I am very optimistic.” Yorkshire-born William Haggas always saves some of his best for this meeting and it is significant that he saddles Mohamed Saeed Al Shahi's Wejdan (GB) (Dabirsim {Fr}), who has just a six-furlong Newbury novice win to her record Aug. 6. She overcame greenness and was staying on to real effect as the race wore on, so normal improvement makes her an interesting candidate.
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