Punctilious grabs Oaks glory

Punctilious continued Godolphin’s good run by landing the Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks at York.

Kerrin McEvoy brought the four-year-old (13-2) through to lead in the final furlong, with the pair running on strongly to beat Dash To The Top and Kieren Fallon by half a length.

French raider Lune d’Or came home two lengths back in third.

The shape of the race changed several times down the home straight as front-running Iota came back to the field.

Epsom Oaks winner Eswarah made up eyecatching ground down the outside but failed to get to the front, with Dash To The Top taking up the lead two furlongs out.

However, she was reeled in by Godolphin’s charge, who easily improved on her fourth place in last year’s renewal of the Group One contest.

McEvoy told Channel 4 Racing: “She’s just been coming to herself and in her last two runs she’s been very game. She kept galloping and has done a great job.

“She was one of the top three-year-olds last year and we’ve got her back now. She’s even better than last year and she’s going great guns.”

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford told Racing UK: “The filly was thoroughly honest there and really deserved that.

“She won a Group Two race at Royal Ascot last year and was second in the Irish Oaks, and the whole reason for keeping her in training was to win a Group One.

“We really fancied her in the Lancashire Oaks earlier in the season but something went wrong there and she had a sub-standard run at Sandown, so maybe she has just taken a long time to come to herself.

“As long as she is happy and well we will keep going with her. I would imagine we would look at a race like the Prix Vermeille and then we may try the Filly & Mare Turf at the Breeders’ Cup.”

Dash To The Top’s trainer Luca Cumani said: “I am delighted with that. They were so far apart I didn’t know who was ahead. I was hoping we were, but with 50 yards to go I realised we were going to finish a good second.

“It was a very good performance, we always thought she was Group One filly and today she has confirmed it.

“Now she has to win a Group One.”

Richard Gibson, trainer of the third, said: “It was a good run, I’ve no excuses. She was beaten by two better fillies. We were encouraged because it was only her second run of the season and she will go for the Prix Vermeille.”