The Darley Yorkshire Oaks is usually won by a smart filly but this year it was won by a filly that is fast becoming a superstar.
The Aidan O’Brien trained Snowfall was well enough thought of as a two year old to have connections aiming her at Group 1 prizes but she never really made an impact. At three she has been a revelation.
She started the season with a win in the Musidora Stakes at York, where she made the running at a steady gallop but left a lingering impression she may have stolen the race after sprinting clear in the home straight off that slow early pace.
She blew that theory apart next time when, ridden with more restraint, she demolished her field in the Oaks at Epsom, winning by 16 lengths.
She confirmed again at the Curragh what a good filly she is by taking the Irish Oaks, beating stable companion Divinely by eight and a half lengths.
The Yorkshire Oaks was a new test as she’d have to contend with older horses for the first time and in the shape of Wonderful Tonight she was facing a Group 1 winner who’d won well last time when taking the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood.
In the race Snowfall’s stable-mate La Joconde made the running with Snowfall held up in second last place. Wonderful Tonight was ridden prominently in third.
As they entered the home straight jockey William Buick angled Wonderful Tonight out to have a clear run and he quickly pressed on. But Snowfall was travelling ominously well in behind and she cruised up behind the leaders and two and a half furlongs out she was on terms and still travelling well. From that point she powered ahead, urged on only by a hands and heels ride from Ryan Moore.
At the line Snowfall had four lengths to spare over Albaflora, who stayed on for second ahead of the pacemaker La Joconde who stayed on gamely to cling onto third. Wonderful Tonight finished tamely in the end in fourth place, the ground perhaps too quick for the filly who has shown in the past that she relishes soft or heavy ground.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien was full of praise for Snowfall after the race. “She’s really going to be ready for the autumn, she’s very responsive when you ask her to go there…she’s a very exciting filly,” he said before adding, “she’s after thriving since the last day, how physically strong she’s gone, she’s gone way up on the scales as well.” That message, that Snowfall is getting bigger and stronger, must have sent fear into connections who are planning to take her on for her end of season target, the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe.
Whether she will have a prep race before Longchamp has not been decided said O’Brien, “I’ll see what the lads want to do. It’s possible that she could take in another run because physically she’s doing well. Whether the lads want to go to Arc trials day or go straight to the Arc, we’ll see what they want to do.”
