Yorkshire Oaks

Mark Dooley avatar

Written By:

Updated:

The Yorkshire Oaks is one of the top Group 1 races of the season for fillies and mares over a mile and a half.

The race often features winners and placed horses from the Epsom Oaks and Irish Oaks clashing with their elders for the first time. Three horses have won the race twice, the most recent being John Gosden’s dual Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Enable in 2017 and 2019.

The 2023 Yorkshire Oaks takes place at York Racecourse on the 2nd day of the Ebor Festival.

In our Yorkshire Oaks 2023 guide, we provide the latest odds, betting tips and betting offers for the group three horse racing event.

Find out more about the Yorkshire Oaks:

Yorkshire Oaks

Yorkshire Oaks – Race Overview

The Yorkshire Oaks takes place on the second day of York’s Ebor Festival meeting in August.

The race was opened to older fillies and mares in 1991 but three-year-olds have remained the dominant age group.

There is usually a small but select field for this race which can provide valuable clues to top International meetings like the Arc and the Breeders’ Cup.

Famous Yorkshire Oaks Winners & History

The race was first run in 1849 and was confined to three-year-old fillies.

The race soon began to attract top-class fillies and was given Group 1 status when the present grading system was introduced in 1971.

High-class winners prior to the race becoming an all-aged contest in 1991 include Petite Etoile (1959), Lupe (1970), Mysterious (1973) and Dibidale (1974). The latter was an unlucky loser in the Epsom Oaks when her saddle slipped in the closing stages. She made amends in the Irish Oaks when beating the first three fillies from Epsom.

The race has continued to attract Oaks winners with Fair Salinia (1978), Sun Princess (1983), Circus Plume (1984) and Diminuendo (1988) among those to win both races.

Sun Princess won by a record margin of 12 lengths at Epsom and went on to win the St Leger at Doncaster Racecourse. Circus Plume was ridden by Lester Piggott at Epsom but Willie Carson took the reins at York, making all the running to win by 6 lengths.

The Luca Cumani-trained Only Royale (1993, 1994) became the first horse to win the race twice.

Sir Michael Stoute’s Islington was successful in 2002 and 2003 and went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Midday also won the Breeders’ Cup race for Sir Henry Cecil in 2009 before claiming the Yorkshire Oaks the following season.

She carried the colours of the late Khalid Abdullah who won the race on two subsequent occasions with Enable. She won here during her brilliant three-year-old season and returned to win it again as a five-year-old. The race set her up perfectly for her hat-trick bid in the Arc at Longchamp but she was denied by Waldgeist.

Yorkshire Oaks 2023 Odds

Check out the odds for the Yorkshire Oaks:

These odds have not yet been released.

Yorkshire Oaks Tips 2023

Below are our Yorkshire Oaks 2023 tips:

  • 2 points to win for TBC
  • 1 point each way for TBC

Take a look at our horse racing tips page for York Races.

Our great tippers for racing provide brilliant tips for the events at York!

Yorkshire Oaks Previous Winners

Check out the previous winners of this race:

YearWinnerAgeJockeyTrainerOwnerTime
1946Live Letters3Tommy WestonNoel CannonJimmy Rank
1947Ladycross3Harry CarrCecil Boyd-RochfortSir R Sykes
1948Angelola3Edgar BrittCecil Boyd-RochfortGeorge VI
1949Unknown Quantity3Bill RickabyJack JarvisH D H Wills
1950Above Board3Eph SmithCecil Boyd-RochfortGeorge VI
1951Sea Parrott3Gordon RichardsNoel MurlessGiles Loder
1952Frieze3Edgar BrittCharles ElseyAlexander Keith
1953Kerkeb3Gordon RichardsMarcus MarshAga Khan III
1954Feevagh3Ken GethinWillie StephensonJ McGrath
1955Ark Royal3Manny MercerGeorge CollingDick Hollingsworth
1956Indian Twilight3Joe MercerJack CollingJakie Astor
1957Almeria3Harry CarrCecil Boyd-RochfortElizabeth II
1958None Nicer3Stan ClaytonDick HernLionel B. Holliday
1959Petite Etoile3Lester PiggottNoel MurlessAly Khan
1960Lynchris3Bill WilliamsonJohn Oxx Sr.Mrs E Fawcett
1961Tenacity3Scobie BreasleyGordon RichardsMrs W Riley-Smith
1962West Side Story3Eph SmithTed LeaderJim Joel
1963Outcrop3Eph SmithGeoffrey BarlingJ Priestman
1964Homeward Bound3Greville StarkeyJohn OxleyFoster Robinson
1965Mabel3Joe MercerPeter WalwynG Williams
1966Parthian Glance3Lester PiggottGeorge ToddMrs W R Smith
1967Palatch3Brian TaylorHarvey LeaderCarlo Vittadini
1968Exchange3Brian TaylorHarvey LeaderMrs R Mildwood
1969Frontier Goddess3Duncan KeithPeter WalwynC Spence
1970Lupe3Sandy BarclayNoel MurlessGladys Joel
1971Fleet Wahine3Geoff LewisHarry Thomson JonesR Ohrstrom
1972Attica Meli3Geoff LewisNoel MurlessLouis Freedman
1973Mysterious3Geoff LewisNoel MurlessGeorge Pope, Jr.
1974Dibidale3Willie CarsonBarry HillsNick Robinson
1975May Hill3Pat EdderyPeter WalwynPercival Williams
1976Sarah Siddons3Christy RochePaddy PrendergastJ R Mullion2:33.1
1977Busaca3Pat EdderyPeter WalwynMarianne Esterhazy
1978Fair Salinia3Greville StarkeyMichael StouteSven Hanson
1979Connaught Bridge3Joe MercerHenry CecilH Barker
1980Shoot A Line3Lester PiggottDick HernArthur Budgett2:36.33
1981Condessa3Declan GillespieJim BolgerPaddy Barrett2:35.32
1982Awaasif3Lester PiggottJohn DunlopSheikh Mohammed2:30.57
1983Sun Princess3Willie CarsonDick HernSir Michael Sobell2:36.12
1984Circus Plume3Willie CarsonJohn DunlopSir Robin McAlpine2:34.97
1985Sally Brown3Walter SwinburnMichael StouteRobert Cowell2:37.24
1986Untold3Greville StarkeyMichael StouteSheikh Mohammed2:30.37
1987Bint Pasha3Richard QuinnPaul ColePrince Fahd bin Salman2:38.45
1988Diminuendo3Steve CauthenHenry CecilSheikh Mohammed2:25.79
1989Roseate Tern3Willie CarsonDick Hern7th Earl of Carnarvon2:31.58
1990Hellenic3Willie CarsonMichael StouteLord Weinstock2:28.14
1991Magnificent Star3Tony CruzMohammed MoubarakEcurie Fustok2:35.92
1992User Friendly3George DuffieldClive BrittainBill Gredley2:29.41
1993Only Royale4Ray CochraneLuca CumaniGiuseppe Sainaghi2:31.76
1994Only Royale5Frankie DettoriLuca CumaniGiuseppe Sainaghi2:28.07
1995Pure Grain3John ReidMichael StouteRobert Barnett2:28.68
1996Key Change3Johnny MurtaghJohn OxxLady Clague2:27.56
1997My Emma4Darryll HollandRae GuestMatthews Breeding2:30.59
1998Catchascatchcan3Kieren FallonHenry CecilLord Howard de Walden2:26.06
1999Ramruma3Pat EdderyHenry CecilPrince Fahd bin Salman2:29.17
2000Petrushka3Johnny MurtaghSir Michael StouteHighclere Racing Ltd2:29.41
2001Super Tassa5Kevin DarleyValfredo ValianiValfredo Valiani2:30.17
2002Islington3Kieren FallonSir Michael StouteExors of Lord Weinstock2:26.74
2003Islington4Kieren FallonSir Michael StouteExors of Lord Weinstock2:27.44
2004Quiff3Kieren FallonSir Michael StouteKhalid Abdullah2:38.03
2005Punctilious4Kerrin McEvoySaeed bin SuroorGodolphin2:28.76
2006Alexandrova3Michael KinaneAidan O'BrienMagnier / Tabor / Smith2:32.41
2007Peeping Fawn3Johnny MurtaghAidan O'BrienTabor / Magnier2:32.70
2008Lush Lashes [a]3Kevin ManningJim BolgerJackie Bolger2:25.11
2009Dar Re Mi4Jimmy FortuneJohn GosdenLord Lloyd-Webber2:30.98
2010Midday4Tom QueallyHenry CecilKhalid Abdullah2:30.53
2011Blue Bunting3Frankie DettoriMahmood Al ZarooniGodolphin2:35.34
2012Shareta4Christophe LemaireAlain de Royer-DupréAga Khan IV2:33.87
2013The Fugue4William BuickJohn GosdenLord Lloyd-Webber2:28.29
2014Tapestry3Ryan MooreAidan O'BrienMagnier / Tabor / Smith / Flaxman2:28.59
2015Pleascach3Kevin ManningJim BolgerGodolphin2:32.77
2016Seventh Heaven3Colm O'DonoghueAidan O'BrienMagnier / Tabor / Smith2:28.50
2017Enable3Frankie DettoriJohn GosdenKhalid Abdullah2:35.79
2018Sea of Class3James DoyleWilliam HaggasSunderland Holding Inc2:30.44
2019Enable5Frankie DettoriJohn GosdenKhalid Abdullah2:29.90
2020Love3Ryan MooreAidan O'BrienTabor / Smith / Magnier2:31.31
2021Snowfall3Ryan MooreAidan O'BrienSmith / Magnier / Tabor2:26.61
2022Alpinista5Luke MorrisSir Mark PrescottKirsten Rausing2:29.92
2023Warm Heart3James DoyleAidan O'BrienMagnier /Tabor / Smith / Westerberg2:25.86

Yorkshire Oaks Previous Result

Check out this result from York Racecourse:

Key Yorkshire Oaks Trials

The Epsom Oaks is the most significant race for assessing the Yorkshire Oaks. Almost half of the recent winners ran at Epsom Racecourse on their previous start.

Oaks winners have a good record here but the race can offer handsome consolation for defeat in the Classic. Blue Bunting (2011), The Fugue (2013) and Seventh Heaven (2016) are recent examples of horses not suited by the hustle and bustle at Epsom but able to win impressively on the Knavesmire.

The Irish Oaks has also produced its fair share of Yorkshire Oaks winners. Enable won at Epsom and the Curragh prior to winning here in 2017.

Sea Of Class defeated Epsom Oaks winner Forever Together in Ireland before putting up an impressive display at York. She was supplemented for the Arc and only just failed to catch Enable, arguably her wide draw costing her the race.

Favourites have a very good record in the Yorkshire Oaks, particularly in recent years with four successive victories.

Sea Of Class started a well-backed 7-4 favourite in 2018 while Enable (2017, 2019) and Love (2020) started long odds-on.

There was one major setback for favourite backers in 2014 when Taghrooda (1-5) was surprisingly beaten by Aidan O’Brien’s Tapestry (8-1). Pleascach (2015) also started at 8-1 but shock results are rare in the Yorkshire Oaks and Classic form usually dominates.

Yorkshire Oaks Stats

It is difficult to look beyond the Classic from at Epsom and the Curragh for your Yorkshire Oaks bets.

It takes an exceptionally good older filly or mare to win this race, usually already a Group 1 winner. Not all winners of this race had winning form over a mile and a half but most had won over at least a mile and a quarter.

Recent Group race form has been a common factor with most winners having won or been placed at this level on their last outing.

A high percentage had raced three or more times in the current season with at least one victory.

Top Trainers and Jockeys of the Yorkshire Oaks

Sir Michael Stoute shares the honours as leading trainer in the history of the Yorkshire Oaks with Mathew Dawson (1868 to 1884) on nine winners. Stoute’s victories include Oaks winners Fair Salinia (1978) and Untold (1986) and dual winner Islington (2002, 2003).

Aidan O’Brien and John Gosden have trained five winners apiece during the past fifteen seasons.

The great Fred Archer rode the winner of this race on eight occasions and still retains the record.

Other jockeys to excel in the history of the Yorkshire Oaks include Willie Carson, Lester Piggott and Kieren Fallon.

Frankie Dettori has won it four times including twice on Enable. His other victories were aboard Only Royale (1994) and Blue Bunting (2011).

Betting on the Yorkshire Oaks 2023

Ante-post betting on the Yorkshire Oaks inevitably revolves around the results of the English and Irish Oaks.

Winners of those races coming here are almost certain to start favourite unless there is a very high-class older horse in opposition.

Running plans can sometimes hinge on the going and most of the serious betting on this race takes place on the day.

Popular Questions

What is the Yorkshire Oaks distance?

The Yorkshire Oaks is 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 188 yards long.

Where is the Yorkshire Oaks run?

The Yorkshire Oaks is run at York Racecourse.

Summary of The Yorkshire Oaks

The Yorkshire Oaks is one of the highlights of the Ebor Festival meeting.

It often provides the chance to see the champion three-year-old staying filly in action, fresh from victory at Epsom or the Curragh.

The race also provides clues to championship races in the Autumn including the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Resources

2023 York Ebor Festival Posts

Here are all the related articles to the York Ebor Festival 2023:

If you do choose to bet, please bet responsibly.