Top commentator Simon Holt makes Laurens his best bet in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks at York on Thursday while he has two other bets on the card.
Recommended bets: York, Thursday
1pt win Little Kim in 1.55 York at 9/1
1pt win Kynren in 3.00 York at 10/1
2pts win Laurens in 3.35 York at 4/1
In a tight renewal of the Group One Darley Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday, LAURENS is taken to supplement two courageous victories in France this season.
Karl Burke's star filly, already successful in three Group Ones, never wins by very far suggesting she will always find more if challenged.
The quality was well illustrated in the Prix De Diane (French Oaks) in June when she held on to win by a neck after six fillies had raced line abreast inside the final furlong.
That form has since been boosted by third placed Homerique and by the fifth With You who Laurens had previously beaten a short head in the Prix Saint Alary at Longchamp in May.
This is the selection’s first try at a mile and a half but she is very stoutly bred on her dam side, and perhaps a drop of rain (forecasted) would be a more important factor.
On official ratings there is little between Laurens, likely favourite Sea Of Class (just 2lb higher) and last year’s runner-up Coronet.
Sea Of Class made up a tremendous amount of ground to collar Forever Together in the Irish Oaks and, as her breeding indicates, she seemed to really appreciate this trip that day. Impressive in two previous starts at Newbury, William Haggas’s filly looks very talented though it was interesting that jockey James Doyle resisted the temptation to use his whip.
The form is hard to weigh up; Forever Together is almost certainly better on soft ground and the 25-1 third Mary Tudor was lowly rated and not beaten far. The re-opposing Bye Bye Baby and Magic Wand, fourth and fifth respectively, appear held though the latter, previously an impressive winner at Royal Ascot may not have run her race.
Coronet was no match for Enable 12 months ago but has resumed this season at a similar level and was given plenty to do by Olivier Peslier in the King George last time.
Reunited with Frankie Dettori, she looks bound to be in the shake-up and acts well on the course as illustrated by her comfortable defeat of Horseplay here in May.
Earlier, Fairyland and Angel’s Hideaway are likely to dominate the betting for the Group Two Sky Bet Lowther Stakes after finishing third and fourth respectively at Royal Ascot.
Angel’s Hideaway has since chased home the smart Pretty Pollyanna at Newmarket and won on a return visit to Ascot despite showing a tendency to hang right.
Fairyland who, before the Royal meeting, had beaten two decent stablemates (Van Beethoven and Land Force) at The Curragh, returns after a break with her stable enduring mixed results.
It could be worth taking a chance with LITTLE KIM at the odds to give Karl Burke another big success.
This daughter of Garswood came home strongly to win a Group Three at Deauville early last month (form boosted last week by third-placed Shumookhi) and then had no run at all in the Supersprint at Newbury.
Little Kim is worth another chance especially now stepped up to six furlongs.
The Clipper Logistics Handicap is competitive to say the least but KYNREN travelled notably well before finishing third behind Euchen Glen and Thundering Blue in the John Smith’s Cup (1m2f) last time.
That form has been well advertised since by the runner-up (third in Wednesday’s Juddmonte International) and fifth Brorocco (second in a Group Three at Haydock) and the drop back to a mile should suit David Barron’s gelding.
Golden Mile winner Seniority is the big danger despite going up 6lb for winning in a bunch finish at Goodwood where he overcame traffic problems.
Preview posted at 1720BST on 22/08/18.