The line matters as Warm Heart gives Doyle a second Yorkshire Oaks

Aidan O’Brien strikes again, as often in the big Flat meetings.

The rare combination of James Doyle and Ballydoyle has delivered as Warm Heart denies Dettori to win the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks on Day Two of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival.

With ten runners heading to post in an open wide renewal, the crowd on the Knavesmire were treated to a thrilling finish, with James Doyle and Warm Heart defeating Free Wind and Frankie Dettori by a head. Warm Heart’s stablemate and Irish Oaks winner, Savethelastdance led the field of ten for the majority of the race.

Patience was key as James Doyle held Warm Heart in third round the bend, before gathering up his mount two furlongs out to patiently battle the leader. It looked to be a two horse race one furlong out, but Dettori found his way out of a crowd of horses to get in the clear, but too little too late.

As Free Wind was in the clear, Frankie hustled his mount up but the line came sooner than he hoped with Warm Heart’s head sticking out to give Doyle a memorable Group 1, his first in the Ballydoyle colours, and his second in the Yorkshire Oaks.

Doyle said on ITV Racing: “She was super, the race couldn’t have panned out better for me really.

She’s superbly tough and really dug in late on

“I didn’t have the greatest of draws but after around I furlong I just thought ‘this is good’.

“The only thing in my mind was not to challenge too soon. Aidan had said to me to try and challenge a furlong from home and I got there a furlong and a half out but it was OK.

“She jumped well (from the stalls), relaxed into it, showed a good kick and then showed a great attitude to beat Frankie’s horse. She’s superbly tough and really dug in late on.”