We've published our guide to the 2021 Yorkshire Oaks
This Group One headlines the card on day two of York's Ebor Festival on Thursday 19th August
Snowfall is the overwhelming favourite to win her third Group One
Wonderful Tonight is our best betting tip at 11/2
Expired
Snowfall ridden by Frankie Dettori wins the Cazoo Oaks. (Getty)
Day two at the Ebor Festival is headlined by the Yorkshire Oaks. Unlike the Oaks at Epsom and the Curragh, older horses are free to tackle the three-year-olds in this Group One, which has been won by greats like May Hill, Midday and Enable.
We've taken a look through the field for this year's Yorkshire Oaks and picked out our best betting tips.
Snowfall will be looking to follow in the footsteps of Love, who won this race for Aidan O'Brien last year having routed her rivals in the Epsom Oaks. After her record-breaking triumph at Epsom, Snowfall claimed another emphatic victory in the Irish version of the Oaks, and only the bravest of punters would back against her extending her unbeaten three-year-old record on Thursday.
Leading the charge against the favourite is Wonderful Tonight, who followed up her Hardwicke Stakes win with a hard-fought triumph in the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Glorious Goodwood 19 days ago.
Loving Dream edged out Eshaada when they met in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, and both will step up to Group One class for the first time.
Miss Rousing's green and white-striped silks will be carried by Albaflora, who's twice been well beaten by Wonderful Tonight so far this season. Divinely and La Jaconde could both join stablemate Snowfall at the Ebor Festival, but neither are likely to make much of an impact.
Ryan Moore gave Snowfall an excellent ride when she won the Musidora first time out. Yet, there's no doubting Teona and Noon Star both underperformed that day and neither has done anything to boost that form since.
If you take Santa Barbara - who ran poorly and clearly didn't stay the trip - out of the Epsom Oaks, it looks a rubbish race. The other 12 fillies who ran have managed just four wins in 21 starts since, and one of those wins came in a maiden.
Only three of the seven rivals Snowfall thrashed in the Irish Oaks have run since, and they were beaten eight, 14 and 16 lengths respectively. The less said about that race, the better.
Snowfall has been a class above the other middle-distance fillies this season, but if the other three-year-olds she has been beating are Listed and Group Three class at best - again, discounting Santa Barbara - then does Snowfall really warrant a rating of 120? I'm not so sure, and for that reason I don't mind taking the Ebor Festival favourite on at 4/11.
The only runner in this field who has a hope of beating her is WONDERFUL TONIGHT, so that's where my money is going.
Yes, David Menusier's star would prefer the ground to be a lot slower than it is and she's got to give plenty of weight to the favourite, but she's a proven winner at Group One level and she travels to York in excellent form.
You can get 11/8 on Wonderful Tonight in the Without Snowfall market with bet365, and I wouldn't put anyone off taking that price. I'll probably back her with Snowfall still in the betting, just to see if my misgivings about the quality of the favourite turn out to be correct.
William Buick riding Wonderful Tonight win The Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes during the Qatar Goodwood Festival. (Getty)
Verdict
Snowfall is certainly a worthy favourite, but given the form of her three wins this season looks so poor and her unappealing price, I'm going to take her on with the proven class act in the field, Wonderful Tonight.
2021 Yorkshire Oaks Tips: Wonderful Tonight Straight Win @11/2 at bet365 - 10 Units
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