It was the Yorkshire Oaks today and oh, what a race we expected to see. Three crack distaffers. Sariska and Midday representing the cream of the older brigade, Snow Fairy the queen of the current Classic crop. Match ups like that don't come along every year.
It wasn't even a three horse race. Eight of them lined up on the Knavesmire, all fillies and mares.
Trumpeters heralded their arrival at the start. Off-time, 3.25pm. Midday, a Breeders' Cup winner no less, let it be known that she'd be entering the starting gate at her own leisure. Sariska and Snow Fairy, dual Oaks winners both, meandered in as they pleased. Barshiba, the old lady of the field, needed four little men and a blindfold to convince her to load. Good horses have character.
All in. Under starters orders. Gates open. They're off!
Well, all bar Sariska. She was going nowhere. Jamie Spencer could push and shove all he liked, that lady was not for moving. Character, you see.
Barshiba set the pace. Midday skimmed along in mid-division. Snow Fairy stalked. Sariska sulked.
It was all over with three of the 12 furlongs still to race. Midday was cruising under Tom Queally. At a glance, Snow Fairy looked good too but Richard Hughes was on the three-year-old. Hughes always looks good with three furlongs to go. The trained eye could see that filly was beaten.
Midday shifted into overdrive. Snow Fairy chased her; Eleanora Duse ran on from deep. Nothing got near.
It was three lengths at the line. It would have been more if Midday hadn't got bored and drifted in the lead. Ears pricked, head slightly raised, I think she was posing for the crowd. Queally straightened her and kept pumping away. He didn't know about Sariska's strop. Sariska had beaten Midday three times already. Queally was expecting the big bay to loom upsides. She didn't.
Henry Cecil was presented with a rose bush before the race. It was for Midday, to recognise her second win in the Nassau Stakes at the end of last month. Henry said he'll plant it in his rose garden behind Midday's box. That's why he's a master trainer. So good with fillies. Wonderful with roses. I wonder what he'll get if she wins a second Breeders' Cup.
I love York races.
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