Key events
2.25 York, Harry’s Half Million by Goffs, 6f, 2yo
Adding to the fascination of the Lowther result is the fact that Ryan Moore faces a very similar problem to Loughnane aboard Sun Princess in the next.
Aidan O’Brien’s is a Group One winner in a sales race, a very unusual state of affairs in a race of this type where the field is always huge but the depth of quality can be highly variable.
Sun Princess came from last to first to take the Phoenix Stakes at Leopardstown last time …
… but she is drawn in stall 17 and a couple of pacy types either side of her – Where Love Lives and Blake’s Monarch – are both non-runners.
She is currently a shade of odds-on but Clive Cox’s Satellite Of Love has been attracting support today – he has a much better pitch in stall six and has raced up with the pace on his two starts so far.
Tokaido is another intriguing runner from Amy Murphy’s operation in France, and arrives looking for a five-timer having landed a three-runner renewal of the Prix Robert Papin last time out.
I’m siding with Satellite Of Love to give his trainer a fourth straight win in this race, but the fascinating part is likely to be what Moore decides to do on the favourite.
SELECTION: SATELLITE OF LOVE.
1.50 YORK RESULT: LOUGHNANE CALLS THE TUNE ON LIBERTANGO
1. LIBERTANGO 3-1, 2. Star Of State, 3. Jolivette. 17 ran.
That was a remarkable ride by Billy Loughnane on Libertango, dropping in from a high draw and working his way across towards the far rail before launching the final challenge to Star Of State. George Boughey, the winner’s trainer, did not hesitate to dub it “the ride of a champion” and here’s Loughnane to describe it in his own words …
She’s a very talented filly first of all. I was a bit disappointed this morning when some of the pace angles around me came out, so my plan was to try and find Dylan [Browne McMonagle, on Star Of State] as I wanted a target as long as I could
Liberrtango slowly away, Star Of State settled fourth or fifth …
Star Of State travels well, moves into the lead, Libertango has somehow managed to work her way to the far rail …
Final furlong, Star Of State still just in front but here’ comes Libertango against the rail, she’s cutting her down and she’s going to get there …. Libertango is the winner!
Off and running in the Lowther Stakes …
On the way to post for the Lowther, and there’s more support for Star Of State, down to 2-1, with Libertango at 3-1 and Wild Blossom on 100-30.
Libertango landed the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and was also the runner-up in the Group Two Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket last time and is the top-rated runner on Timeform’s figures. What’s not to like? For me, her draw (stall 15) and hold-up running style, but she is clearly very talented too.
1.50 York – Lowther Stakes, Group Two, 2yo fillies
There are a couple of non-runners in the Lowther – Moonrise and Livenka – but there’s still a monster field of 17 stretched across the six-furlong course.
Star Of State, from Joseph O’Brien’s stable in Ireland, is the current favourite at 5-2, with Libertango (George Boughey/Billy Loughnane) and Wild Blossom (Karl Burke/James Doyle) the only other runners at single-figure odds, of 3-1 and 4-1 respectively.
Star Of State was deeply impressive on her second start at Leopardstown last month …
… and has also drawn well in stall six. Given the speed-favouring nature of the six-furlong strip here in particular, she will be very tough to beat.
SELECTION: STAR OF STATE.
Just under half an hour to the opening Lowther Stakes here at York, and it has been raining steadily for a couple of hours now. There’s been around 4mm today in all, and while the official going remains good-to-soft, it is surely on the softer side of that.
The top three in the betting for the Yorkshire Oaks later shouldn’t be unduly affected, but it does make you wonder about the chance of Wesley Ward’s Bacio in tomorrow’s feature, the Nunthorpe Stakes.
He streaked home on fast ground at Royal Ascot last month and had been expected to start favourite fover a speed-favouring five furlongs. He has not raced on soft ground at any point in his career, however, and it is easy to see him tying up in the final furlong tomorrow, in similar fashion to Ward’s Lady Aurelia in the same race in 2017.
Preamble
Hello from a somewhat damp York racecourse on day two of the Ebor Festival 2026, when the Group One Yorkshire Oaks for fillies and mares will be the highlight of the Ladies’ Day card at 3.35.
As you would expect, the feature event has many of the great racemares of recent decades on its roll of honour, including Alpinista, who went on to land the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe a couple of months later, just four years ago, and the likes of Enable, Midday and Islington earlier on this century.
It has not, admittedly, always been the most competitive of races, with plenty of winners going in at very short odds. This year’s renewal, though, has real depth.
Kalpana, the King George winner at Ascot last month, heads the field and Minnie Hauk, last year’s winner, should provide stern opposition alongside the three-year-old Johanna Walsh, an impressive four-length winner of the Irish Oaks at the Curragh last time out.
Legacy Link, the Musidora winner here back in May, cannot be ruled out either, not least following the success of Item, another trial winner at the May meeting, in yesterday’s International Stakes provided a reminder of the importance of track form at this track.
Added attractions this afternoon include the Goffs Half Million sales race at 2.25 and the Group Two Lowther Stakes for juvenile fillies, which will kick off the proceedings at 1.50.
The going on the Knavesmire is now good-to-soft after a further 2.8mm of rain overnight, and you can, as ever, follow all the news, results, betting moves and more here on the blog as the afternoon’s action unfolds.