Warm Heart (9/1) beat Free Wind and Savethelastdance to win the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks at York; James Doyle wins Group One for second time and Aidan O'Brien celebrates seventh victory in the race; Relief Rally lands Lowther
Thursday 24 August 2023 16:52, UK
Warm Heart showed her toughness to deny Frankie Dettori on Free Wind in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks.
In a wide-open renewal of the Group One feature on day two of York's Ebor Festival, it was fellow Aidan O'Brien runner Savethelastdance who went off 10/3 favourite under Ryan Moore.
James Doyle was booked on the apparent O'Brien second string and was visibly travelling well as Moore got to work on Savethelastdance along the rail.
Just as Warm Heart (9/1) looked to be pulling away, Dettori appeared on the scene on board 5/1 shot Free Wind for John and Thady Gosden.
The front pair pulled clear in a terrific battle to the line, but Doyle and Warm Heart held on to win by a head, with Savethelastdance third and Bluestocking fourth.
It is Doyle's second victory in the race, while O'Brien has now won the Yorkshire Oaks seven times.
O'Brien said: "She's a very good filly who won very well in Ascot [Ribblesdale Stakes] and then the last day [fifth to Savethelastdance at the Curragh] she just got back in a slowly-run race and it was hard to make up ground.
"She loves fast ground and she's a very slick filly. I think she's probably made for the Filly And Mare Turf [at the Breeders' Cup]. She's a nice size to her and she's strong and has tactical speed as well.
"She could go straight there or she could run on Irish Champions Weekend or Arc weekend, but she likes nice ground and maybe we shouldn't overface her.
"It's possible [she could stay in training next year]. The lads do keep horses in training as four-year-olds including fillies, so I'd say they'll definitely think about it at the end of the year. She's progressing from run to run."
Of Savethelastdance, he added: "Ryan wanted an even pace for his filly as she stays well. When the ground gets slow it helps her as it makes it tougher for the others, but she still ran a great race.
"We were worried about the ground for her today. She always runs her race, but she's better on soft ground. Whereas most horses struggle, she improves.
"She definitely could be an Arc filly, as on softish ground she grows another leg. She has the choice of the St Leger or the Arc. If she ran in the St Leger the Arc comes up two weeks after that, so it's a little bit tight and she'd probably have to do one or the other.
"We'll probably give her an easy time now and see. We always felt she could be a filly for the Arc, especially if the ground got soft."
Relief Rally flew up the stands side rail to land the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes.
William Haggas' filly was a three-time winner coming into the Group Two contest and started as the 2/1 favourite under Tom Marquand after victory in the Super Sprint at Newbury.
Ridden patiently on her first try at six furlongs, the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned bay began to make headway in the final furlong and pulled away as the line approached to prevail ahead of Aidan O'Brien's Cherry Blossom.
William Haggas' Sea Theme was a determined winner of the Listed British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes.
The Sea The Stars filly, who was the 5/2 favourite, won a Doncaster novice by a good margin last time out and showed plenty of tenacity to follow that win up with another when coming home a head to the good.
Ridden by Tom Marquand, she chased down the leading horse, Jane Chapple-Hyam's Climate Friendly, and held off some fast finishers to take the valuable Knavesmire prize.
The highly-popular Ropey Guest claimed a notable victory at York when taking the Clipper Handicap for George Margarson.
The gelding is great campaigner for the stable and has often come within inches of landing a big handicap prize, including second-placed finishes in the past two renewals of the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket.
At one stage the highest-rated maiden in the country, he has looked like he was due a bit of luck and on the Knavesmire he finally received it under regular rider Tom Queally.
Having started at 40/1, the six-year-old ran gamely and saw off all challengers to come home a head in front of Point Lynas.
