Yorkshire Oaks

The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.

History

The event was established in 1849, and it was originally restricted to fillies aged three. The inaugural running was won by Ellen Middleton, owned by the 2nd Earl of Zetland.

The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the Yorkshire Oaks was subsequently classed at Group 1 level. It was opened to older fillies and mares in 1991.

The race has been sponsored by Darley Stud since 2006, and it is currently held on the second day of York's four-day Ebor Festival meeting.

The Yorkshire Oaks often features horses which ran previously in the Epsom Oaks. The first to achieve victory in both races was Brown Duchess in 1861, and the most recent was Alexandrova in 2006.

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins):

• Only Royale – 1993, 1994
• Islington – 2002, 2003

Leading jockey (8 wins):

• Fred Archer – Spinaway (1875), Lady Golightly (1877), Jannette (1878), Wheel of Fortune (1879), Dutch Oven (1882), Britomartis (1883), Clochette (1884), Philosophy (1886)

Leading trainer (9 wins):

• Mathew Dawson – Leonie (1868), Gertrude (1870), Spinaway (1875), Lady Golightly (1877), Jannette (1878), Wheel of Fortune (1879), Dutch Oven (1882), Britomartis (1883), Clochette (1884)
• Sir Michael Stoute – Fair Salinia (1978), Sally Brown (1985), Untold (1986), Hellenic (1990), Pure Grain (1995), Petrushka (2000), Islington (2002, 2003), Quiff (2004)

Leading owner (7 wins):

• 6th Viscount Falmouth – Gertrude (1870), Spinaway (1875), Lady Golightly (1877), Jannette (1878), Wheel of Fortune (1879), Dutch Oven (1882), Britomartis (1883)

Winners since 1980

^a The 2008 running took place at Newmarket.

Earlier winners

* The 1932 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.

See also

• Horseracing in Great Britain
• List of British flat horse races

References

• Racing Post:
  • 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
  • 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
  • 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

• galopp-sieger.de – Yorkshire Oaks.
• horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Yorkshire Oaks (2011).
• pedigreequery.com – Yorkshire Oaks – York.
• Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. pp. 150–152. ISBN 1-873626-15-0.