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20 Aug 2020

Love leaves Oaks field reeling in prep for Enable Arc showdown

Love, is indeed, all you need – except perhaps if your name is Enable?

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Ballydoyle filly added another Group 1 to what has already been a glamorous three-year-old campaign by winning the Darley Yorkshire Oaks in a canter.

The chestnut was rightly well fancied before the race due to her two commanding Classic victories earlier in the summer, and those short odds seemed about right in a convincing success. Whilst we may not have seen the clash-of-the-ages with Enable on British soil, it’s added an extra layer of spice to what will be a thrilling match up on October 4th.

In the race itself, Love broke cleanly with the whole field before Manuela de Vega and Rob Hornby took up the early running. Love and Ryan Moore remained prominent throughout, keen to not give too much rope to a horse proven from the front.

The steady pace meant the field remained largely unchanged for the first three quarters of the race – Manuela de Vega happy to roll along out front, Love in her rear view mirror and One Voice, Franconia and Frankly Darling all in touch.

Turning in to the straight the chasing pack began to turn the screw and Manuela de Vega soon made her way back to the pack with the charge being lead by the dual-Classic winner.

Four furlongs out and push had come to shove on most of the field – expect Love.

Breezing past the long-time leader barely moving a muscle, the only race taking place was for the placings as Oisin Murphy was quick to point out in his commentary.

From there on it was a one horse race with Love continuing to stretch her advantage all the way to the line, winning by five lengths from outsider Alpinista who ran a big race for Ryan Tate – his first ride in a Group 1.

Whilst the result may not have been in any doubt, it was the manner in which Love put the field to bed that will leave punters itching to see the showdown with racing’s Queen in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

4th October 2020. Mark the date in the diary as it could see one of racing’s greatest clashes unfold.