Content won the Yorkshire Oaks for O'Brien and Moore | report and free video replay
By Ian Ogg
10:48 · FRI August 23, 2024
Content (3/1 favourite) provided Aidan O'Brien with an eighth success in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks at the Ebor Festival on Thursday.
Eight runners went to post for an open renewal of the Group One and it produced an exciting finish with three of the market leaders drawing clear of the field after pacemaker Port Fairy weakened tamely.
Emily Upjohn travelled strongly in front for Kieran Shoemark with a quarter of a mile to run before her jockey started to get more vigorous inside the distance.
You Got To Me, who beat Content in the Irish Oaks, challenged Emily Upjohn on the stands' side as they came down the centre but away from that pair, Ryan Moore was making stealthy progress aboard Content towards the inside and while her rivals went toe to toe, Content stole a lead.
Emily Upjohn and You Got To Me drifted across the track to join her but the bird had flown with Content staying on to win by three parts of a length.
You Got To Me got the better of her private battle with Emily Upjohn who was a length back in third.
Content was the 100th individual Group One winner for her sire Galileo.
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O'Brien said: "She's difficult. When we went to the Pretty Polly over a mile and a quarter we weren't sure she would get it, Ryan dropped her out and she came home very well and he felt a mile and a half was well within her compass.
"We went to the Irish Oaks and had the pacemaker in and the pacemaker didn't go fast enough and maybe messed up the race, the race never opened up at all, and Ryan dropped her in and got her to relax, it probably did her good long term but it never opened up in time and Ryan said there was plenty left when she went by the line.
"She was still very keen early and it's very rare for a horse to run half as keen as that and win but she was very keen. I thought the petrol gauge would start emptying and Ryan said it was but she kept coming and she's a typical example of a Galileo, if there's no more left, if their legs can move they will put them out there and that's what she did, she went right to the end.
"They are so genuine. They can get tired and still come out and give their best again. It's a very unusual trait and that's why we're so excited about City (Of Troy), he has all that trait as well. That's why we're excited about Justify, we felt that Justifys are like Galileos with more class."
Content could now return to America for another crack at the Breeders' Cup, held this year at Del Mar, where O'Brien believes conditions will be in her favour.
"She could go to one of the fillies’ (Arc) trials," he continued, "she could go to an Arc or a Vermeille or to America.
"She’s definitely going to be better where the pace is strong, wherever that is, as she is still racing in a gear too high. When she gets into a gear which has other horses out of their comfort zone, she will be comfortable and it will be amazing to see what she can do off that kind of pace.”
Content (far right) wins the Yorkshire Oaks
Coming back to her best
Ralph Beckett said of the runner-up: "She's obviously been beaten by a very good filly and she's run a very good race; that's horse racing.
"She settled, plenty of daylight early on, he was able to put her where he wanted to and that was all positive.
"I'll have to have a think about (what happens next); the obvious race is the Fillies and Mares on Champions Day."
John Gosden was pleased with the run of Emily Upjohn, saying: "She ran a lovely race.
"She's got the pacemaker beside her so they've gone a very solid pace all the way and you do learn that giving 9lbs to improving three-year-olds at this time of year is difficult. She's run a valiant race, really happy with her, coming back to her very best and we'll probably look at something like the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp in September but it's nice to see her showing her true form again.
"We got left alone in front too soon by the pacemaker who did a good job for Ryan! But for us it did leave her stranded on her own a long way out and to that extent the last furlong on her own was quite a long one. But never forget the weight difference for the three-year-olds."
Gosden reported that things happened too quickly for Queen Of The Pride who will be stepped up in trip for the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster.
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