The feature race makes for a fascinating rematch between Savethelastdance and Bluestocking, first and second in last month's Irish Oaks at the Curragh, and has drawn a top-quality field of ten fillies.
Enda McElhinney provides his analysis on the big race as well as some other selections on day two at York's marquee meeting, where they race from 1.50-5.20, with the Yorkshire Oaks due off at 3.35.
3.35 - Yorkshire Oaks (Fillies' and Mares' Group 1, 1m4f)
A classy field of ten has assembled for the day-two feature, with a handsome £283,550 on offer to the Yorkshire Oaks winner.
Not surprisingly, plenty of eyes are drawn to Savethelastdance and Bluestocking after they finished first and second in last month's Irish Oaks. It didn't look likely for Ryan Moore's filly with three furlongs to go as she was under pressure, but she found more in admirable fashion and got up for a rallying win.
She was heavily touted as a possible St Leger contender following that success. She clearly relishes give underfoot but was also second in The Oaks at Epsom in June on good-to-firm so it would be unwise to believe conditions are against her.
That said, Ralph Beckett will believe Bluestocking should be better suited by this faster surface and his Camelot filly is a major contender with a standout chance of reversing the Curragh form.
She has, though, been beaten twice this season by another Ballydoyle filly in WARM HEART, who is perhaps some value to bounce back from her fifth-place finish in that Irish Oaks.
The Ribblesdale winner stayed strongly at Ascot and proved herself effective on this sort of surface in doing so. She never quite looked as comfortable at the Curragh despite having won previously on testing ground. Like the aforementioned pair and Novakai for Karl Burke, she gets 9lb as a 3YO taking on older horses and James Doyle has picked up a fine ride in this Group 1 event.
The older performers such as Sea Silk Road and Rosscarbery require personal bests while Poptronic had no excuses in this contest 12 months ago. Free Wind was completing a four-timer when taking the Middleton over 1m2½f here in May and could have a big run in her for the Gosdens and Frankie Dettori back at York.
Stamina could be an issue for Hughie Morrison's Stay Alert, while Al Husn arrives in top order after winning the Nassau at Glorious Goodwood. However, that was a race where pretty much everything fell perfectly for Roger Varian's Dubawi filly and she is untested over this distance. If she sees it out, she is a major player and her sheer consistency of effort is very hard to knock.
1.50 - Lowther Stakes (Fillies' Group 2, 6f)
The day-two opener sees Cherry Blossom for Aidan O'Brien and Relief Rally for William Haggas jostling for Lowther favouritism. Haggas has won this twice (2012 & 2015), while it's something of a surprise that Fairyland (2018) is the only Ballydoyle filly to score Lowther success.
No Nay Never filly Cherry Blossom cost the princely sum of €360,000 and after a slightly underwhelming debut in a Listed race over 5f at Naas last month, has since won a Curragh maiden (6f, good) with a good amount in hand. Ryan Moore's partner should have more to come up in class.
Relief Rally has enjoyed a fine season for the Haggas team, winning three of four starts with her only defeat coming by a nose behind Crimson Advocate in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot over 5f. That form is strong and she easily justified favouritism since in Newbury's Super Sprint. The Kodiac filly should be effective at this new trip and sets the standard.
Clive Cox's Symbology and Michael Bell's Queen's Guard are a pair of likely improvers, while Andrew Balding's Glorious Goodwood Conditions race winner Flora Of Bermuda fits a similar brief.
STAR OF MYSTERY looked a filly going places when she won a 6f Listed Newmarket contest in impressive style at the start of July to add to her romp in a Haydock novice. Charlie Appleby's filly came unstuck since in the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge back there six weeks ago but that four-runner contest was quite muddling on ground that had been hit by plenty of rain before the off.
A tongue-tie is fitted now and, with this more likely to be run at a good clip, William Buick's partner could well redeem herself with this trip on quick ground at a good pace looking optimal for her.
SELECTION: STAR OF MYSTERY @ 8/1
3.00 - Clipper Handicap (Heritage Handicap, 1m)
A fiendish handicap is in prospect here with 20 set to break from the stalls. Ed Walker's Terwada is low-mileage and goes for a hat-trick of wins after successes at Nottingham and Newmarket in June and July. The form of that latter success got a nice boost at Glorious Goodwood and despite a 6lb hike, the only 3YO in the line-up must be taken very seriously.
There are a host of dangers as she steps out in a field of this nature for the first time.
Northern Express, The Gatekeeper and Sonny Liston are all capable of big efforts in major handicaps such as this, while Blue For You won this 12 months ago and is a York C&D winner again this season. He does concede weight all round, however.
POINT LYNAS could have a role to play for Ed Bethell and Callum Rodriguez. The 4YO won over course and distance at this meeting last summer and was edged out behind Croupier in the Hambleton handicap over track and trip in May from a 3lb lower mark than this.
He went close again at Nottingham next time and probably bit off more than he could chew with an all-out-attack approach in the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot after that. Freshened up since, he is capable of a big run again back on the Knavesmire.
4.10 - Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes (Fillies' And Mares' Listed, 1m4f)
Modaara scored emphatically on her seasonal bow at Kempton in May over this trip, routing her rivals in a novice event, but she was then last of five in a Haydock Group 3 the following month. Roger Varian's challenger may yet prove her effectiveness on turf, but for now there's a question for her to answer.
Makinmedoit similarly showed improved form around Lingfield in the winter months but has been held in two Listed races on grass either side of a midsummer break and needs more now.
There's The Door is consistent and should give her running again, albeit her best form is on softer ground, while Sea Theme and Market Value are a pair of lightly-raced candidates with more to come for William Haggas. Tom Marquand has won on both and sides with the former, leaving William Buick to pair up with the Royal runner.
ONE EVENING ran well in the Group 3 Bronte Cup here in May over 1m6f but she was perhaps guilty of doing too much, too soon, that day on her seasonal bow and faded late on. The following month she was second in the Listed Castle Fillies' Stakes at Pontefract despite a poor start that saw her stumble and shuffle back into rear. Ryan Moore has been secured here and this Galileo filly could have more to come.
