The Group I Yorkshire Oaks (1m4f) was run overnight at York and predictably won by race favourite Snowfall, the exceptional Deep Impact filly who is undefeated this year.
Coolmore have already enjoyed success at the highest level through the use of the late Deep Impact, notably through dual Group I winner Saxon Warrior (Jpn), and it’s worked magic again for them with Snowfall.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, Snowfall was coming off wins in the Epsom Oaks and Irish Oaks and claimed her third consecutive Oaks win with a four length victory eased down.
“Snowfall is a lovely filly, always done everything very easily. She quickens very well and she's gone really laid back now. She's starting to thrive and is starting to put on weight. She's going to be ready for the autumn,” said Aidan O’Brien.
“I'll see what the lads want to do. It's possible that she could take in another run (before the Arc) 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.”
A homebred for the Coolmore partners, Snowfall has the overall record of five wins and a third from 11 starts and is undefeated this year, improving sharply when stepped up to staying races following a busy juvenile season when she won only one of seven starts.
Snowfall is the first winner for Galileo’s Group III winner Best in the World, a full sister to Champion 3YO Filly Found, winner of an Arc and a Breeders Cup Turf, and also Divinely, who is working towards a Group I win of her own.
There have been five stakes-winners by Deep Impact from daughters of Galileo, the nick running at 16.1% stakes-winners to runners.
Coolmore will stand Deep Impact’s two time Group I winning son Saxon Warrior in the Hunter Valley this spring at a fee of $13,750 and he is also from a daughter of Galileo.
