DARLEY YORKSHIRE

OAKS (GROUP 1)

AIDAN O’Brien, in unstoppable form, made it 13 Group 1 winners for the year as Seventh Heaven landed the Darley Yorkshire Oaks from stable-companion Found at York on Thursday.

Previously successful in the Irish Oaks, the daughter of Galileo had nearly three lengths to spare, with only Sir Michael Stoute’s Queen’s Trust in third preventing a Ballydoyle clean sweep as pacemaker Pretty Perfect held on for fourth.

Pretty Perfect and Paul Hanagan did their job well, holding on to the two-furlong pole, where Queen’s Trust, previously second to the brilliant Minding at Goodwood, took over. She raised her supporters’ hopes for a while but Seventh Heaven and Colm O’Donoghue powered through towards the stands’ side to take it up as Found kept on willingly.

THE RUNNER-UP

Seamie Heffernan did everything possible on the runner-up, one of only two horses to have finished in front of last year’s Derby winner Golden Horn, but accepted the situation half-way through the final furlong as Seventh Heaven, 100/30, pulled clear.

“She’s a very good filly and was a classic winner getting 10lb from the older fillies,” O’Donoghue said. “She’s tough and genuine with a great temperament and a beautiful action.”

The jockey’s point about the 10lb concession was well made. If Seventh Heaven replicated her Irish Oaks running rather than her disappointing effort at Epsom, she clearly had an outstanding chance and it was a little surprising that Found, a year older, was made 2/1 favourite.

O’Brien, adding to his gains in the race with Alexandrova, Peeping Fawn and Tapestry, mentioned the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf as a possible target for the winner.

“Colm gave her a beautiful ride and she’s come on lovely since the Irish Oaks,” he said. “We thought the track, ground and trip would suit her well here. She’s a beautiful traveller and a big, rangy filly. She handles fast ground well and has plenty of class. She has a lot of options and I’d say she’s going to make a real four-year-old.”

strength in depth

Sometimes the strength in depth at Ballydoyle defies description. Given that Minding had beaten Queen’s Trust without showing her usual sparkle, O’Brien must have known that he had every chance of a fourth Yorkshire Oaks. He also has big plans for Found, who faced a very stiff task at the weights.

“The idea with her was to go for the Royal Whip at the Curragh on Sunday, but we have US Army Ranger for that,” he explained. “Then we’d go to Leopardstown for the Irish Champion Stakes followed by the Arc, and perhaps nothing might change from that.”