MANUELA De Vega was backed as if defeat was out of the question in the Group 2 Bet365 Lancashire Oaks and it all went to plan in the Haydock feature.

An impressive winner of the Pinnacle Stakes at the course last month when making the running, Harry Bentley deployed different tactics on this occasion.

Bentley had in fact chosen to ride the Ralph Beckett-trained stablemate of the winner, Antonia De Vega, but when she was found to be lame on race morning and was declared a non-runner in the 12-furlong contest, he switched.

The form of Manuela De Vega’s previous win could hardly have been advertised any better given that the second, Fanny Logan, came out and won the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Bentley cruised to the front three furlongs out on the 1/2 favourite and she was kept up to her work to beat Makawee by five and a half lengths.

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