© Photo Healy Racing
After a brilliant opening day at York, day two promises to deliver even more high-class and exciting racing. In our Formscan preview podcast, Tanya Stevenson provided valuable insights into some of the day’s most intriguing contests.
The day kicks off with a thrilling race featuring some of the most exciting two-year-old fillies. A field of nine will line up for what promises to be a compelling contest.
Leovanni, the unbeaten filly owned by Wathnan Racing, enters this race after her impressive Queen Mary victory at Royal Ascot. Although she hasn't been seen on the track for a while, her performances to date are hard to knock. She will be conceding 3lbs to the rest of the field.
Heavens Gate, representing the Ballydoyle team, is next in the market at around 5/2. She delivered an impressive win in the Ballyhane Stakes at Naas a few weeks ago. While she may not be the top two-year-old filly in Ballydoyle, her form is hard to fault. Both fillies competed at Ascot, where Leovanni won the Queen Mary, while Heavens Gate finished third in the Albany. Interestingly, the form from the Albany appears stronger, with Fairy Godmother emerging as a potential superstar, and Simmering, the runner-up, subsequently winning twice at G3 and G2 levels.
However, Tanya Stevenson is looking beyond the front two in the market:
Tanya: “Betty Clover is as tough as Heavens Gate and brings in equally good form. You may say that Betty Clover was well beaten by Leovanni in the Queen Mary, but the tricky thing about the Queen Mary is that the horses are spread across the track, so Betty Clover never really saw Leovanni.”
“We have seen Betty Clover since then, and the Princess Margaret form, in which Betty Clover helped out Simmering no end, has worked out really well. I think we’ll see a fairytale win for Georgia Dobie, who has ridden this filly to perfection in all her rides so far.”
Emma: Heavens Gate
Tanya: Betty Clover
A strong field is set to compete in the Yorkshire Oaks, headlined by dual Group 1 winner Emily Upjohn. Despite being the standout older mare in the race, her form has been inconsistent this year.
Queen Of The Pride, who has shown significant improvement as a four-year-old, adds further strength to the Gosden team. With a few high-class three-year-old fillies also in the mix, this shapes up to be a cracking contest.
Content could be on the verge of a historic achievement for Coolmore, potentially becoming Galileo’s 100th G1 winner. She has truly found her stride over middle-distance trips. Though she didn’t disgrace herself in the French Guineas and the Coronation Stakes, her performances over 10f and 12f have been at a different level.
She finished third behind Emily Upjohn and Bluestocking in the Pretty Polly Stakes and might have been an unlucky loser in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh. However, Content still needs to reverse the form with Emily Upjohn, and conditions here favour the Gosden filly even more, with a 9lb advantage compared to the 12lbs at the Curragh. The key question is whether Emily Upjohn can deliver consistent performances this year. This extended trip, however, could play to Content’s strengths.
Tanya feels the race is between the classic generation but is taking a chance on Lava Stream:
Tanya: “I had to see what went wrong at the Curragh for Lava Stream. I watched the race from as soon as the stalls opened to the 3f mark. As they came out from behind the trees, I think either she clipped heels or the two horses she was trying to get through came together, and she had to snatch up. That cost her about 3 or 4 lengths and a lot of confidence.”
“I think York will suit her, with a smaller field she won’t have to be so far behind. I’ll forgive her that Curragh run, but if there’s going to be a problem, I expect it to come from Content or You Got To Me. I think the Irish Oaks form is totally being overlooked in the market.”
Emma: Content
Tanya: Lava Stream
This contest looks wide open, with 15 mares set to compete, including three-year-olds facing off against older fillies.
Sea Just In Time is the 11/8 favorite for the Haggas yard, who won this race last year. The next best in the market is 8/1. Sea Just In Time won a novice race on the all-weather last time out, under a hands-and-heels ride, beating a filly rated 88, which justifies her current rating of 94. William Haggas had high hopes for her as an Oaks contender earlier in the season, but that didn’t quite materialize.
However, Tanya doesn’t feel the Haggas-trained filly is as far ahead of the field as her price suggests:
Tanya:“I make it between two: Noisy Jazz, because I’ve never seen such a big filly! She is enormous, and she was 25/1 on her only start at Newmarket. She looked as though she was just going down to the start when she crossed the line still.”
“But my selection is Satin. The trainer, Jessica Harrington, has won the race before. Satin got a bump, got crowded not long after the start, didn’t get any cover, conceded lots of weight, and still only got beaten by 5.5 lengths on her seasonal debut. It’s a good starter. She’s a lovely each-way price, and she just gives it her all.”
Tanya: Satin
Emma:Arizona Blaze looks a standout in the 2.25pm Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes. Since winning on debut, Adrian Murray’s colt has been competing at the highest level, putting in good performances behind the likes of Whistlejacket, Babouche, and Henri Matisse. There should be nothing of that calibre in this contest, and it looks like a good opportunity for him to get his head back in front.
Tanya: I’m going to the 5.20pm, where Alfa Kellenic for Tom Eaves and Craig Lidster stands out. She has improved out of all recognition, winning her last four races. Drawn right in the centre, the only concern is that they might not catch her. I think she has enough improvement to hang on in there; she’s just been a revelation.
