The Yorkshire Oaks is the highlight on day two of the York Ebor Festival, and it has been blown wide open ever since Bluestocking was rerouted to the Juddmonte International on Tuesday.
Aidan O’Brian who has been dominant in the Yorkshire Oaks in recent years sends over Port Fairy, and the recent Irish Oaks 2nd, Content.
She will need to reverse placings with You Got To Me, but there is cause for optimism that she can do so here.
Here is your runner by runner betting guide for the 2024 Yorkshire Oaks with odds and offers from the best horse bookmakers.
Yorkshire Oaks – Runner by runner betting guide
Here’s my runner by runner guide for Yorkshire Oaks.
🏇 3 – Queen Of The Pride (6)
- Runner: Queen Of The Pride
- Weight: 9st 9lb
- Age: 4
- Form: 81-211
- Jockey: Oisin Murphy
- Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
- Betting Odds: 11/4
A strong galloping filly who has improved with each run this season.
She was last seen taking the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock, where she eventually pulled away to win by a convincing three lengths. The form of the race is not up to much, but she could only do what she was asked.
This is another step up in class that is going to really test her ability against some top class fillies, but she may be up to the task.
I am a bit surprised that she has been put in as market leader. Even with the fact that she is lightly raced, and with the track likely to suit her running style I just want to take her on here at the prices.
✅Improve filly
✅Has won a Group 2 convincingly
✅Will relish this galloping track
❌Has yet to meet anything of this caliber
❌Must give 9lbs to two Group 1 performing 3 year olds
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Queen Of The Pride with talkSPORT BET 🐎
🏇 5 – Content (3)
- Runner: Content
- Weight: 9st 0lb
- Age: 3
- Form: 4-8832
- Jockey: Ryan Moore
- Trainer: Aiden O’Brien
- Betting Odds: 3/1
A filly that has taken time to come to herself this season yet hasn’t been beaten far in her 4 starts so far.
She has shown that she may be about to hit new heights when running 3rd in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh behind Bluestocking and Emily Upjohn. To get as close as she did from where she was positioned caught the eye of many.
On the back of that Content was sent off 3/1 favourite for the Juddmonte Irish Oaks where she couldn’t get to You Got To Me after having a less than smooth run-through at a vital stage, but did still manage to get the gap down to ¾ of a length.
She has form on all types of ground and arguably put her best performance in on firm ground at the Breeders Cup last season so the likely fast ground will not be an issue for her.
Even though she does need to turn form around with Emily Upjohn on the Pretty Polly running, and with You Got To Me on the Irish Oaks running, there should be no excuses on a track that will give Ryan every chance to get her out and running down the leaders.
Expect a big run.
✅Looks like she has a lot more to offer over this trip
✅Has Group 1 form
✅Aidan O’Brien has a great record in this
❌Would not want a slow-run race
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Content with BetMGM 🐎
🏇 1 – Emily Upjohn (2)
- Runner: Emily Upjohn
- Weight: 9st 9lb
- Age: 5
- Form: 7-5426
- Jockey: Kieran Shoemark
- Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
- Betting Odds: 4/1
For a mare who looked to be one of the best middle-distance horses in training when running away with the 2023 Coronation Cup at Epsom, the wheels have seemed to have fallen off this season.
She showed glimpses of what she is capable at the Curragh in the Pretty Polly Stakes, but you would have to think that the 2023 Emily Upjohn would have held on.
When set the task of winning the Group 1 Nassau Stakes it was a run that suggested that her best days may be behind her.
There are too many questions for her to answer now to even consider backing her in a Group 1 contest. Yes, if she gets back to her brilliant best she can win this, but she has looked a shadow of her former self last time out and at Epsom.
With all that, it is best to avoid her here especially at her current odds.
✅Two time Group 1 winner
✅Has the best form on offer
❌Can’t be trusted on recent showings
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Emily Upjohn with Spreadex 🐎
🏇 8 – You Got To ME (5)
- Runner: You Got To ME
- Weight: 9st 0lb
- Age: 3
- Form: 5-1441
- Jockey: Hector Crouch
- Trainer: Ralph Beckett
- Betting Odds: 9/2
Having started the season off by taking the Lingfield Oaks Trial, You Got To Me failed to build on that performance in Group 2 and Group 1 company mainly due to over racing/aggressive front running tactics, she turned her fortunes around when settling much better from off the pace at the Curragh to hold off Content in the closing stages (wore tongue tie).
She is not guaranteed to up-hold that form with Content, but if she decides to be more tractable as she was at the Curragh, then there is every chance that she can take another step forward here.
✅Much more tractable last time out
✅Group 1 winner
❌Can pull her chance away
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on You Got To ME with VBET 🐎
🏇 2 – Mistral Star (4)
- Runner: Mistral Star
- Weight: 9st 9lb
- Age: 4
- Form: 12-531
- Jockey: William Buick
- Trainer: Hughie Morrison
- Betting Odds: 14/1
Mistral Star has already seen the backside of Queen Of Pride this season, but did improve to run away with a 1m4f Listed contest at Newmarket last time out.
Even though that was an impressive performance, this is a totally different ball game here. She is intitled to take her form to a new level on the back of her latest victory, but it will need to be a career bets by some way to get involved here.
A place is the best she can hope for.
✅On the back of a career best performance
❌This looks beyond her on what we know
Star Rating: ⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Mistral Star with Sky Bet 🐎
🏇 6 – Lava Stream (7)
- Runner: Lava Stream
- Weight: 9st 0lb
- Age: 4
- Form: 1-1129
- Jockey: Daniel Tudhope
- Trainer: David O’Meara
- Betting Odds: 22/1
Lava Stream has taken her career to new heights this season going from a win off 74 to being beaten a neck in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot by Port Fairy.
She failed to land a blow in the Group 1 Irish Oaks, but if you forgive her that, this strong travelling filly may yet have more to offer.
Yes, she needs a massive leap forward once again, but she has shown that she may well be capable of running well in a race such as this especially if they go fast from the drop of the flag.
Could nick a place.
✅Has improved hand over fist this season
✅No ground worries
❌Needs to show that her Curragh run was just a blip
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Lava Stream with Paddy Power 🐎
🏇 7 – Port Fairy
- Runner: Port Fairy
- Weight: 9st 0lb
- Age: 3
- Form: 7-1210
- Jockey: Wayne Lordan
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Betting Odds: 25/1
Having held off Lava Stream in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot, Port Fairy paid the price for chasing a strong pace in the Irish Oaks, and there is every chance that her job will be to make sure that Content has a pace to run down today.
If she was to win, and it’s not an unsurmountable if, she will need to get an easy lead and get a sizable break on her rivals.
It would be a shock where she be able to hold off her rivals from the front, but if she is left alone, she could hold on for a place.
✅Has beaten Lava Stream at Royal Ascot
❌Likely to be used as a pacemaker
Star Rating: ⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Port Fairy with Betfred 🐎
🏇4 – Sea Theme
- Runner: Sea Theme
- Weight: 9st 9lb
- Age: 4
- Form: 19-461
- Jockey: Tom Marquand
- Trainer: William Haggas
- Betting Odds: 25/1
Having run well behind Queen Of The Pride at Group 3 level (2½ lengths behind) Sea Theme slipped turning for home in the Lancashire Oaks that was also won by Queen Of The Pride.
She quickly showed that run to be a minor blip when bolting up in a Listed race at Clairefontaine in France. She doesn’t have much to find with Queen Of The Pride, but the latter should have more improvement in her going forward.
At the prices, she could run a massive race but may still fine a few too good here.
✅Got back to winning was last time
✅Not much to find with Queen Of The Pride
❌Likely to find a few too good
Star Rating: ⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Sea Theme with talkSPORT BET 🐎
Yorkshire Oaks Verdict
In what should be a true run race this could be set up for a closer and topping the list is CONTENT.
She has shown that it is only a matter of time before she cracks Group 1 level and today can be that day. The fast-improving Queen Of The Pride should give her most to do in the closing stages but may find it hard to get by Content.
Lava Stream can run well at a bigger price.
About the author
Andrew Halligan
My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube’s The Finishing Line Podcast. Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you’re a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.
You can follow Andrew on X (@Halligan88).
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