Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks
Group 1, York 15:35
£500,000 guaranteed,
3yo plus,
1m 3f 188y, Class 1   
Thursday 24th August 2023

Boylesports

1 Warm Heart 9/1
2 Free Wind 5/1
3 Savethelastdance 10/3F
10 ran Distances: hd, 2¼l, 1l
Time: 2m 25.86s (fast by 3.24s)

The James Doyle-ridden Warm Heart was the second string for Ballydoyle, with her Irish Oaks-winning stablemate Savethelastdance the 100-30 favourite under Ryan Moore.

The latter made the running, as Warm Heart travelled patiently in mid-division, eventually making her move around the final bend and smoothly gaining all the way up the home straight.

John and Thady Gosden’s Free Wind had to wait for a gap before going with her and the two battled all the way to the line, with Warm Heart just getting the verdict by a head from Frankie Dettori’s mount. Savethelastdance was another two lengths back in third.

BetGoodwin

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 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. 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.”

BetZone

Darley Yorkshire Oaks (Fillies' Group 1)
(British Champions Series)
£500,000 guaranteed, 3yo plus, 1m 3f 188y, Class 1
10 ran
Going: Good to Firm, Good in places

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (9)    Warm Heart 33 D 3 9-0 A P O'Brien James Doyle 9/1
2 (3) hd Free Wind 5 9-9 John & Thady Gosden Frankie Dettori 5/1
3 (6) 2¼ Savethelastdance 3 9-0 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 100/30F
4 (1) 1 Bluestocking 3 9-0 Ralph Beckett Rossa Ryan 4/1
5 (2) ½ Sea Silk Road 4 9-9 William Haggas Tom Marquand 16/1
6 (8) 1 Stay Alert 4 9-9 Hughie Morrison Oisin Murphy 18/1
7 (5) 1½ Novakai 3 9-0 K R Burke William Buick 10/1
8 (7) hd Poptronic 4 4 9-9 K R Burke Sam James 25/1
9 (4) 1¼ Al Husn 4 9-9 Roger Varian David Egan 6/1
10 (10) 1¾ Rosscarbery 5 9-9 P Twomey W J Lee 14/1

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