Harlequeen set to raise her game in the Yorkshire Oaks

Mick Channon believes Harlequeen will bounce back to her best when faced with stronger opposition in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday. The Group 1 contest forms part of the QIPCO British Champions Series Fillies and Mares division and Harlequeen would not be winning out of turn, having already finished third in both the Investec Oaks and Darley Irish Oaks.

On her latest start the daughter of Canford Cliffs had her sights lowered when she was sent off 11/10 favourite for a Group 3 event at Cork but she had to settle for third, albeit beaten less than a length, behind two Aidan O’Brien-trained fillies in Best In The World and Somehow.

“Harlequeen had finished eight lengths in front of Aidan’s pair in races earlier in the season but that’s this filly for you,” Channon said. “She’s the type to get beaten in a moderate race but run a cracker in a big one. Against the better horses on Thursday I expect her to run much better.

“She reminds me of Youmzain (Channon’s triple Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up) in the sense that she is very talented, but it’s tough to get her to stick her head in front. She’s a character who has got her eccentricities and takes a bit of training, but she is hardy and doesn’t mind racing. Faster ground won’t bother her, either.”

Harlequeen has finished outside the first three just once in six starts – when fourth in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York back in May. “That was early in her career and I think she is a better filly now,” Channon said. “She’s entered in next month’s Ladbrokes St Leger and it’s a real possibility for her. We’ll see what happens.”

Silvestre De Sousa rode Harlequeen in her first five races but was unable to maintain the association at Cork after experiencing travel delays. The Stobart Champion Flat Jockey will be reunited with her this week and he will have fond memories of last year’s Ebor Festival, having partnered 50/1 chance Arabian Queen to a shock victory in the Juddmonte International.

Sir Michael Stoute is seeking record-breaking tenth success in the Yorkshire Oaks, although his last victory in the race was with Quiff in 2004. This time he relies on Queen’s Trust, who greatly upped her game when finishing a length and a quarter runner-up to the brilliant Minding in the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood last month.

O’Brien, the trainer of Minding, is himself seeking a fourth triumph in the race and his fillies have been dominant in the Fillies’ & Mares’ division of the QIPCO British Champions Series this summer.

His trio of runners include Found, runner-up in a staggering four QIPCO British Champions Series races without winning one. On her latest start she was surprisingly beaten a neck by My Dream Boat in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

O’Brien has also declared Seventh Heaven, commanding winner of the Irish Oaks at the Curragh last month, and Even Song, disappointing in that contest but previously a fluent winner of the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Another Irish challenger is the Jim Bolger-trained Turret Rocks, who was fourth in the Irish Oaks.

Endless Time, winner of the bet365 Lancashire Oaks at the chief expense of Furia Cruzada, has been supplemented by Godolphin.

Charlie Appleby, her trainer, has already indicated that the QIPCO British Champions Fillies’ & Mares’ Stakes on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot on October 15 is her principal target this autumn.