Love has nothing to fear at York

RACING: Dual Classic winner sure to start at short odds for Yorkshire Oaks

LOVE can conquer all again in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks on day two of the Ebor Festival.

Aidan O’brien’s dual Classic winner has been an unstoppable force in her two victories this season, and it is impossible to advise that her superiority is about to flounder at York as she bids for a third successive Group One.

Love won at the highest level as a juvenile last season too, coming out on top in the Moyglare Stud Stakes during a busy campaign which ended with a fine third in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket.

If she was not clearly head and shoulders above her contemporaries then, she has surged clear of the field this summer, starting in the 1000 Guineas back at Newmarket, where she turned the tables on Quadrilateral, and then upped to this trip for the first time when a nine-length winner of the Investec Oaks at Epsom.

She moves into open-age company, but is opposed largely by her own generation again and appears to have relatively little to fear from them.

Her supporters will have to operate at odds-on, however, and may want to look elsewhere on the card for more rewarding investments.

SACRED is another filly who has every right to be considered a strong favourite, in the opening Sky Bet Lowther Stakes. William Haggas’ youngster won a strong five-furlong maiden on her debut at Newmarket in June, before running into American star Campanelle on her only subsequent start in Royal Ascot’s Queen Mary Stakes.

She could not match Campanelle’s kick over the minimum distance, but was beaten less than a length and finished clear of the rest.

This move up to six furlongs looks timely, and the suspicion is that it will take another very good one to beat Sacred again.