Tipping / Mark Powell-Bevan / 14 August 2011 /

The Yorkshire Oaks is the main event on the Thursday of the Ebor meeting this year and it looks a cracking renewal. Timeform go over the main contenders....

Defending champion Midday has been rerouted to the International on the Wednesday (read the preview HERE) as her owner Khalid Abdulla launches a double-pronged assault on a race he sponsors (with Juddmonte Farms) but has yet to win, but there are still a couple of high-class older fillies set to take their chance in the Yorkshire Oaks in the shape of Crystal Capella and Snow Fairy.

Sir Michael Stoute's Crystal Capella is typical of many a mare from her stable in that she's improving in her later years, producing a career-best at the age of six as she ran away with the Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket in July, hammering Redwood by eight lengths.

That form makes her the one to beat on Thursday and it's easy to put a line through her most recent effort, when unsuited by the drop in trip and the lack of pace in the Nassau at Goodwood, finishing just fourth behind Midday, but there is plenty of competition.

Two places ahead of her that day at Goodwood was Snow Fairy. Ed Dunlop's dual-Oaks winner of 2010 had a successful time of it globetrotting in the latter part of that year, winning the QEII Cup and the Hong Kong Cup, and she put to bed any lingering doubts that she hadn't trained on when two lengths behind Midday on the Sussex Downs last time. The relative test of speed at 10f looked more in Midday's favour, and the step back up to a mile and a half is sure to suit Snow Fairy, so it's not hard to see her adding to her haul of four Group 1s.

Sir Henry Cecil's Vita Nova, who was unlucky (saddle slipped) when runner-up in the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock last time, looks the other main contender from the older brigade and, with so few miles on the clock, it's not hard to see her making the required improvement to have a say, very much the type to keep on progressing judged on her physique as a big, rangy type.

Much has already been made of the 3-y-o crop's dominance this year, with the likes of Frankel and Nathaniel stepping up to take the scalps of their elder counterparts, and whilst we here at Timeform like to deal in specifics rather than generalisations, there is every chance that the Yorkshire Oaks could go the way of the classic generation.

In ratings terms the 3-y-os are headed by Aidan O'Brien's Irish 1000 Guineas and Pretty Polly Stakes winner (beat Midday by six lengths) Misty For Me, but she shaped like a non-stayer in the Oaks at Epsom and has to prove her stamina.

The same can't be said of Godolphin's Blue Bunting, herself a classic winner, having landed the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in the spring. She wasn't seen to best effect in the Oaks at Epsom but bounced back to win the Irish version in determined style at the Curragh, showing that stamina is very much her strength as she stayed on strongly once in the clear to record a short-head victory over Banimpire, with Epsom runner-up Wonder of Wonders a further half length back in third.

There's little reason to think Blue Bunting won't confirm superiority over those who finished behind her at the Curragh and, with the long straight of the Knavesmire likely to play into her hands as much as any, she is taken to strike another blow for the 3-y-os, with Crystal Capella looking the value among the older generation.

Recommendations

Back Blue Bunting @ [3.6] and Crystal Capella @ [7.0] in the Yorkshire Oaks

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