Quotes from connections ahead of the 2024 Yorkshire Oaks
This Group One headlines day two of Ebor Festival at York on Thursday 22nd August
Read quotes from Aidan O'Brien, Ralph Beckett, William Haggas and more
Ryan Moore (L) with Aidan O'Brien at Newmarket. (Getty)
York Quotes
David Redvers (Racing Manager for Queen Of The Pride's owners)
Aidan O'Brien (Content)
Thady Gosden (Emily Upjohn)
Ralph Beckett (You Got To Me)
Gary Moore (Racing Manager for Lava Stream's owners)
Aidan O'Brien (Port Fairy)
William Haggas (Sea Theme)
Quotes from connections ahead of the 2024 Yorkshire Oaks, which takes place at York on Thursday.
Read what the connections of this year's contenders have had to say, before their stable stars take part at York.
2024 Yorkshire Oaks News - Quotes From Connections
David Redvers (Racing Manager for Queen Of The Pride's owners)
She's having a fantastic season and we're very excited about her. It's lovely. This has been the plan for some time. We've always thought she was a very nice filly and she's out of a St Leger (G1) winner. She was one of the best mares, if not the best, to go to Roaring Lion, so it's what we always hoped for.
Aidan O'Brien (Content)
We weren't sure that she would stay, as she can be a bit keen. We dropped her in in the Pretty Polly and Ryan (Moore) was delighted with her. She was beaten by two older fillies and Ryan was confident that she would beat them when she met them again.
Ryan had to ride her patiently again the last day and it all happened a bit too late. When it all opened up for her, the race was over, but she was running home well and Ryan was delighted with her.
We're looking forward to the Yorkshire Oaks. Hopefully they'll go a stronger, more even gallop, which usually happens in those Championship races anyway. We'll ride her patiently again and we look forward to seeing that.
Thady Gosden (Emily Upjohn)
We were drawn in stall 10 at Goodwood which is never ideal here. She was a touch slowly away but travelled well in the early part of the race.
Coming down the hill she did not pick up how you would have expected her to do. She seems fine afterwards. Naturally, when you start favourite, let alone in a Group One, if they don’t quite run how you expect them to it’s disappointing.
She is in good condition afterwards and she did not take long to cool down. We move on. The mile and a half Yorkshire Oaks on a very fair track is a race which would suit her well.
Ralph Beckett (You Got To Me)
She's on good terms with herself, that much is obvious. If it went to plan and she was really competitive at York, I think her owners would be really keen on the Arc, so I think there's a good chance she'll go there or the Fillies and Mares on Champions Day. Those would be the two races that we would work back from.
I wouldn't rule it (The Breeders Cup) out, I'm not sure I think it's what we should do but I wouldn't rule it out given how she has developed.
Oisin Murphy riding Queen Of The Pride (R, maroon) win The Betfred Nifty 50 Lester Piggott Fillies' Stakes at Haydock. (Getty)
Gary Moore (Racing Manager for Lava Stream's owners)
She’s always travelled well in her races – she’s got quite a lot of speed. It doesn’t matter what the ground is like, she’s pretty straightforward. You just need to give her a chance early and she doesn’t half quicken.
Danny (Tudhope) thought he hit the front a bit soon in the Ribblesdale and if he’d held onto her a bit longer, she would have gone past (Port Fairy), and she wouldn’t have battled back. He was a bit gutted but we were over the moon.
Aidan O'Brien (Port Fairy)
She'll go forward again in the Yorkshire Oaks and she won't stop. She's a filly who gets a mile-and-a-half very well. She'll go forward again and if anyone follows her, great, if not then she'll just keep going.
William Haggas (Sea Theme)
I’m going to have a shot at the Yorkshire Oaks as she is a four-year-old filly that is already a course and distance winner. She is very genuine, and won very well last time in a weak race.
Bluestocking will hopefully frighten a few away, but she is entitled to have a go. I think she is a Park Hill filly then maybe one for the Prix de Royallieu on Arc weekend at Longchamp.
She gave everything in the Galtres last season and that took the wind out of her sails really. She ran very well in the Pinnacle Stakes up at Haydock Park first time out then she ran in the Lancashire Oaks on the day that everything slipped the race before.
It was nice to get the win into her last time. She won easily that day and was staying on well in the end.
She is not as good as Sea Of Class, and I don’t know if I will have another like her again, but she is a good filly that is solid. She is not dissimilar to Sea La Rosa, who won her Group One in the Royallieu.
