Blue Bunting Featured in Yorkshire Oaks

The Yorkshire Ebor Festival continues at York Racecourse on Thursday featuring the Group 1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks for fillies and mares over 1½ miles. Post time 10:40 a.m. EDT (4th race at York).

Godolphin’s Blue Bunting and Jim Bolger's Banimpire face off in a rematch of their head-bobbing duel in the Group 1 Irish Oaks at the Curragh in July.

Blue Bunting’s task at York on Thursday has been made easier as likely favorite Snow Fairy is a late absentee due to turf conditions.

Blue Bunting will still face strong opposition from the likes of Banimpire and Laughing Lashes from the current Classic generation, as well as from the 6-year-old Crystal Capella.

Blue Bunting’s rider Frankie Dettori blames himself for the 1000 Guineas winner’s slightly disappointing fourth in the Group 1 Investec Oaks at Epsom, but feels the form of her victory in the Irish equivalent gives her sound claims at York.

“She is a very tough filly. We were surprised she had enough gears to win a (1000) Guineas and it was probably not my best hour in the Oaks,” Dettori said. “I redeemed myself in the Irish Oaks and the form is rock solid, with the William Haggas horse [Dancing Rain] winning the German Oaks, and [Banimpire] has won again.”

Laughing Lashes was beaten just three-quarters of a length into fourth in the Irish Oaks and was arguably an unlucky loser as jockey Frank Berry lost his whip with a furlong to run.

Her trainer Jessica Harrington said: “She’s over there and seems to have travelled great. They tell me there is a bit of juice in the ground and that will suit. Fran ( Berry ) dropped his whip in the Irish Oaks, but these things happen unfortunately. It was so near yet so far.”

Also on Thursday at York , top 2-year-old fillies contest the Group 2 Lowther Stakes over six furlongs at 9:30 a.m. (2nd race at York).

Expect a bold showing from Angels Will Fall, one of the last horses to be saddled by trainer Barry Hills before his pending retirement later this month.