Yorkshire Oaks Guide - 20/08/20

The first runner in the race is the odds on favourite Love for Aidan O'Brien and she deserves to be that price off the back of what she has done this term.

She looked a smart juvenile when finishing third on her final two year old start in the Group One bet365 Fillies Mile, but this season she has transformed into a world beater.

She made her seasonal debut in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and beat a superb field of runners by over four lengths.

From there O'Brien decided to step her up in trip for the Epsom Oaks and she revelled in the extra distance, beating a sound field by a devastating 9 lengths.

She saw off John Gosden's Frankly Darling by close to 10 lengths that day and if running to the same ability this race seems just a stepping stone to the Arc.

With only six in the field and Love looking like the most likely winner, there is only one more place up for grabs and One Voice off the back of her final run has to be the front runner for that.

Having shown ability in Listed and Group Three events over in Ireland she stepped up massively when finishing a close second to Fancy Blue in the Group One Nassau Stakes.

That was her first time entering a black type race and she proved she could mix it with the best, the form of Fancy Blue's win is stacking up which means that run has since been franked and if not feeling the affects of that race, could be a nice each way angle.

John Gosden has two chances in the race and both horses do not have much between them but Franconia for Prince Khalid Abdullah does look a star in the making.

The filly has raced three times to date and has improved for every start, finishing second last year on her only juvenile start at Chelmsford and since then has landed both her contests this term.

She went to Newbury over 1 mile 2 furlongs on her seasonal debut and took the Listed race in very taking fashion, she backed that up at York at the back end of July in another Listed event and if taking to the step up in class should run well.

The daughter of Frankel made her reappearance as a three year old at Newcastle and romped to victory when stepping up in trip to 1 mile 2 furlongs.

This set her up perfectly for a crack at the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot and again it was a procession with her being stretched out to win cosily.

Off the back of that win she was well fancied for the Epsom Oaks being the second favourite behind Love but she was massively outclassed that day.

She will somehow need to reverse that form and improve massively but the way that race went last time leaves a lot to be desired and she could be just playing for the places again.

A horse at a big price that has seemed to turn her career around is Manuela De Vega for Ralph Beckett who was very hit and miss as a three year old but this term is unbeaten.

She made her seasonal reappearance in the Group Three Pinnacle Stakes at Haydock and she saw off Fanny Logan who went on to frank that form when landing the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

With that boost in form she headed back to Haydock for the Group Two Lancashire Oaks and hosed up by 5 lengths and if being able to improve again could out run her odds.

The final runner in the race is the big outsider of the field that may need a miracle to get involved in this field but she does a hold a nice pedigree being a daughter of Frankel.

Having had her first run of the season in France she then went to Salisbury last week and bolted up in a Listed Race that was full of decent runners.

Although winning that event this is a completely different kettle of fish and she looks opposable.