York Ebor festival: Ryan Moore stars again on Content in Yorkshire Oaks - day two as it happened

Well, that's day two in the bag and if there's one emerging theme it's Ryan Moore riding winners.

He's had five so far over the two days – no other jockey has had two at York so far – and he is the dominant force so far. Even more impressively, he's done so from just eight rides.

To The Lion In Winter, Los Angeles and City Of Troy yesterday he has added Content and Angel Hunter today.

Content was obviously the star of the show, to race as keenly as she did and still find all the way up the straight was a feat of herculean strength from a rapidly improving filly. I still think Calandagan ran a better Arc trial yesterday, but that's not to say she can't improve to match him.

It is also worth taking a moment to acknowledge the incredible achievement of Galileo, who sired his 100th individual Group 1 winner, and at the other end of the sport Craig Lidster closed out proceedings today by getting a fifth consecutive win out of drifter Alfa Kellenic. Four of those wins have come in handicaps, which suggests she has been as well-placed as she was initially well-treated off a mark of 70.

Do tune in again tomorrow for what should be a brilliant day's action. Not only is it Nunthorpe day, featuring the Gimcrack and Lonsdale Cup, but it is a day to promote the jockeys.

As part of the Under Jockey's Orders initiative – a collaboration between York, the Professional Jockeys Association and Great British Racing – plenty of initiatives such as surnames on backsides, on-course demonstrations, while Ryan Moore is among those to have been recorded taking part in a question-and-answer session with children at York's Clifton Green Primary School.

That should be well worth listening to, so tune in and Jack Haynes will guide you through the day on the day three blog.

I'll leave you with my picture of the day.

Thunder Run (David Egan) beats Mirsky in the Clipper HandicapCredit: Edward Whitaker

5.20 York

1 Alfa Kellenic (Tom Eaves) 17-2
2 Queen Of Mougins (Hector Crouch) 12-1
3 Miss Information (Oisin Murphy) 4-1F
4 Elim (Callum Rodriguez) 7-1

Miss Information is very firm at the head of the betting on the exchange, at 5.8 (5.5/11.83), Key To Cotai comes next at 7.2 (6.6/13.25) and then Elim has emerged as a clear third choice at 9.4 (8.14/13.25). Alfa Kellenic has been matched at a low of 8.33 and is the big drifter of the race. She is now trading at 12.5 (with a high of 13).

Angel Hunter ridden by Ryan Moore wins at YorkCredit: GROSSICK RACING 07710461723

Richard Hannon had his first winner of the week at York and speaking to RUK he said: "I wanted to run him in the sales race but it'd probably have been a bit sharp. We've always thought a lot of the horses and this is actually very fitting compensation because Claire and William, who own Witch Hunter who I thought had won the Hungerford at the weekend.

"He was robbed, but the family are here today having a lovely time. I was in a hotel room at Deauville on my own and I kicked a chair and my god it hurts, that's the most solid chair I've ever kicked. My mum said it's anger, but it was frustration."

On future plans for Angel Hunter he added: "He's a few nice entries, there's a sales race at Doncaster with a nice bit of prize-money, so we might have a go at that. He's a horse for next year and he was drawn 17 today which is never a good place around here."

Angel Hunter (Ryan Moore) beats Age Of Gold (William Buick) in the 7f NurseryCredit: Edward Whitaker

On An Outlaw's Grace, who finished sixth in the sales race, he added: "It was too sharp for him. His run in the Vintage suggested he'd come back to six no problem but they caught him flat-footed and Ryan said he ran a good race.

"An extra half furlong in three weeks time [Doncaster sales race] will suit him perfectly. He's a Group horse, maybe for the end of the year but definitely for next year. I'm looking forward to him immensely."

Is there anything Ryan Moore can't do? He's just won from stall 17 in a seven furlong race at York this week! The second (stall 4), third (8) and fourth (11) were all better drawn too, he becomes the first winner drawn higher than 6 here this week.

Content (Ryan Moore) parade up the track after the Yorkshire OaksCredit: Edward Whitaker

4.45 York

1 Angel Hunter (Ryan Moore) 8-1
2 Age Of Gold (William Buick) 4-1F
3 Qaseem (Clifford Lee) 12-1
4 Spell Master (Oisin Murphy) 5-1

Age Of Gold is rock-solid at the head of the market. On the exchange he is 5.7 (very close to his low of 5.4). Spell Master is next at 7 (6.6/9.6), and then comes Art Market at 10 (8/13). The rest are uneasy in the market with the exception, perhaps, of Hot Property who is at 13.5 (12/21).

Well, last year's winner Sea Theme was well supported for the Yorkshire Oaks 35 minutes prior to this year's renewal, while Haskoy went on to the St Leger and won an Aston Park. 2019 winner Search For A Song won the Group 1 Irish St Leger on her next start, while a year prior Lah Ti Dar went to Doncaster to finish second in the St Leger and then third at Ascot behind Magical in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, so it has a decent history of being a stepping stone to greater things.

Scenic (Oisin Murphy) wins the Galtres StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

By Mark Brown, race analyst

With promising three-year-old's Sea Just In Time and Fairy Glen both non-runners, this was left looking a fairly weak edition of the Galtres Stakes, even though the overall time was just under half a second quicker than the Yorkshire Oaks.

Scenic became just the second older horse to win the race since 2010, scoring for just the second time in her career having travelled best, coming clear late with her stamina kicking in (was placed over just shy of two miles in France at the end of July). 

She's clearly improving but it isn't a performance to get carried away with for now, while little else in behind caught the eye with a view to the future. 

It's a double on the day for Ed Walker as Scenic follows up stablemate Celandine's Lowther victory by storming clear of the well fancied Karmology.

A first winner at York this week for Oisin Murphy, who has a word for Scenic's owner David Ward, whose silks you may recognise from star sprinter Starman a few years ago. The rider said: "She came good when she started passing horses. Delighted for the Wards, they're a massive supporter of Ed who has now had a double on the day. Well done to him and all the staff."

A delighted Walker added: "It took me nine races to win one with her – she's immensely talented but frustrating. She should have won last time but took Saffie [Osborne] to the front too early. It just clicked today and was the perfect ride by Oisin. She's hit the line very hard and I think she can definitely go further, I'd love to win her in the Prix Royal-Oak."

Happy connections with Galtres winner ScenicCredit: GROSSICK RACING

4.10 York

1 Scenic (Oisin Murphy) 8-1
2 Karmology (Sam James) 7-4
3 Nakheel (Jim Crowley) 8-1

Aidan O'Brien is such a classy individual. The first thing he said after Content's victory was this: "Before I say anything I'd just like to say, Jenny O'Meara has stood besides me for all the work at Ballydoyle for the last 30 years and is one of the key members of the team since we got there, her husband passed away yesterday. It's a very sad day, the funeral is today, and just to say to Jenny and all the family our thoughts and prayers are with them."

A man with his priorities in order.

On the filly's performance, he added: "She ran an unbelievable race and she's come forwards since the Curragh. Every time she's stepped up she's run better. She's not straightforward or easy, but the pace was stronger today and she kept coming. She's a very brave filly and she'll be better again in a faster run race.

"She could go to one of the fillies trials, like a Vermeille. She could end up in an Arc, or in America, she's definitely going to be better where the pace is strong as when she gets into a gear it'll be amazing to see what she can do off that kind of a pace."

Content after the Yorkshire OaksCredit: Edward Whitaker

On Galileo he added: "He's incredible and came along at the end of Sadler's Wells. It's that instinct not to give up that he puts in them. They're so determined and genuine, they'll empty the tank totally which very few horses will do.

"John, Sue, Michael and Doreen have done an incredible job with him, you look at all the horses that have come after him and it's been incredible to train so many of them."

And, never one to miss the chance for a sales pitch, when asked if we'd ever see a sire like Galileo again, O'Brien said: I don't think so, but why we're so excited about Justify is we think he's Galileo with more class. All that determination is in them but they're quicker. That's why City Of Troy is just so different, it's stuff to be dreaming about."

He never misses an opportunity does he!

Aidan O'Brien after the Yorkshire OaksCredit: Edward Whitaker

By Mark Brown

The Yorkshire Oaks is a race that has been dominated by three-year-old's in recent times, with only Arc winners Enable and Alpinista striking a blow for the older brigade, and the Classic generation once again got it done with the Irish Oaks form coming to the fore as Content turned things around with her Curragh conqueror You Got To Me.

Content (Ryan Moore) beats You Got To Me (left) and Emily Upjohn (centre) to win the Yorkshire OaksCredit: Edward Whitaker

For the winner to see her race out in the manner she did having pulled so hard through the early stages, and challenged away from the main action, more towards the far side, suggests this was a performance of some note from the daughter of dual Nunthorpe winner Mecca's Angel.

Proven class-act of the race Emily Upjohn found herself in front too soon and couldn't hold off the three-year-old's late. Her relatively disappointing season continues.

Content is now 4-1 (from 8) with Paddy Power and Betfair for the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, and 4-1 (from 12) for the Breeders' Cup Fillies & Mares Turf.

Betfair also went 14-1 (from 25) about Thunder Run for the Cambridgeshire.

Thunder Run (David Egan) beats Mirsky in the Clipper HandicapCredit: Edward Whitaker

Ryan Moore is having a hell of a week and on Content's hard-earned win he said: "If she'd done everything right she'd have won easily.

"It's taken her a while, and we're still not there, but it was a very good performance. She showed last year she was a good two-year-old and she's finally got her Group 1.

"My only thinking was to try and get her to relax, which I didn't achieve, and then it was making the best of a bad situation. She's a typical Galileo, she's very brave and gives you everything. I've been lucky to ride so many of them. I think that's his 100th individual Group 1 winner, he's been a sensational stallion."

Poor, poor Kieran Shoemark. For the second time this season Emily Upjohn has cruised to the front and looked for all the world like breaking his Group 1 duck for the Gosdens, only to get run out of it close home once again.

Ryan Moore stuck to the far-side rail on Content and it seemed to make all the difference, as he went the shortest way home and the other two came back to her in the closing stages. She was keen early, but the long home straight seemed to help as she reversed Irish Oaks form with the runner-up here, You Got To Me.

As for the achievement of the race, that probably goes to Galileo, who sired his 100th individual Group 1 winner. That's an epic achievement!

Galileo and Coolmore stallion man Tony O'MearaCredit: Patrick McCann

3.35 York

1 Content (Ryan Moore) 3-1F
2 You Got To Me (Hector Crouch) 9-2
3 Emily Upjohn (Kieran Shoemark) 7-2

Content seems to have asserted herself on the exchange, she's the 4.2 market leader now which is very close to her low of 4. The Gosden pair of Queen Of The Pride and Emily Upjohn can barely be separated, at 4.7 (3.7/5.5) and 4.8 (3.9/5.5) respectively. You Got To Me, at 6.6, is nearer her high of 7.4 than her low of 4.8.

Of the others, Sea Theme has shortened from 27 to 10, but is now back out to 13.

The Yorkshire Oaks is a battle of the generations. Representing the three-year-olds (who have won eight of the last ten renewals) are Content, You Got To Me, Port Fairy and Lava Stream. Among their elders are Queen Of The Pride, Emily Upjohn, Sea Theme and Mistral Star.

Thunder Run (David Egan) beats Mirsky in the Clipper HandicapCredit: Edward Whitaker

Speaking of his two, Content and Port Fairy, Aidan O'Brien said on ITV: "Hopefully she can win, we'd a pacemaker in the Irish Oaks but perhaps they didn't go quick enough for her and the race didn't open up as we hoped. This is a big open track and hopefully we can see what she can do.

"Port Fairy is straightforward and she does get the trip very well. She'll go forward and if no-one goes with her she could be dangerous."

O'Brien also suggested City Of Troy will not be seen again until the Breeders' Cup Classic, with a visit to a British all-weather track five or six weeks prior to that his likely prep.

Steve Parkin sponsors the race under his Clipper Logistics business, and owns Thunder Run under the same name. Speaking of winning the owner back his money, big-race partner David Egan said: "He's a very straightforward horse and it wasn't the plan to make the running but he jumped so well and he was naturally taking me there.

"Mr Burke's great to ride for because you're given a free rein to do what you think is best. I got it easy enough in front and I was able to gradually build and he's a very smart horse. It's probably all about rhythm with him and if he's ever going to be in a rhythm it's on the front end doing the things how he wants. It couldn't have gone any smoother.

Trainer Karl Burke added: "It's great for Steve, he's a local and a big supporter of the game. This horse only came in very late, he's a history of not being the soundest but you can see there it doesn't retract from what he can do on the track."

Runners circle in the parade ring for the 6f sales raceCredit: Edward Whitaker