Horsebetting.com experts provide 2018 Yorkshire Oaks betting tips for the feature race on day two of the York Ebor Festival; Thursday, 23 August. Irish Oaks winner Sea Of Class looks a worthy favourite to land the spoils in the prestigious Group 1 contest over 1m 4f. Laurens is a tough and likeable sort who is feared most, while Irish raider Eziyra appeals as the each-way value. For full details why, read our in-depth 2018 Yorkshire Oaks betting tips preview.Sea Of Class a worthy favourite to land Yorkshire OaksIrish Oaks heroine Sea Of Class looks a worthy favourite to follow-up and capture more Group 1 in the 1m 4f Yorkshire Oaks – the feature race on day two of the Ebor Festival at York’s Knavesmire on Thursday (15:35). Success in that Curragh Classic was the third on the bounce for the William Haggas trained filly following a highly promising debut when second at Newmarket.
Although she only beat Forever Together by a neck, that narrow margin of victory does not tell the whole story and she was value for more. After racing at the rear and seemingly having plenty to do turning for home, the daughter of Sea The Stars made good headway two out down the outside of the field under a confident James Doyle.
She then stayed on well under a hands and heels ride to lead on the line, and the fact that Sea Of Class got the job done without her rider giving her one touch of the whip made it an even more impressive success on what was just her fourth career start.
Sea Of Class only made her racecourse debut back in April, easily landing two Listed contests at Newbury when travelling well on each occasion before quickening smartly to get the job done in style. The three-year-old is clearly progressing with each outing and remains open to stacks more improvement.
The Haggas yard remains in fine form and she once again has the services of Doyle in the saddle. There is nothing not to like about her profile for this, so Sea Of Class had to the the main selection in our 2018 Yorkshire Oaks betting tips and looks well worth a wager to land the spoils.Laurens a likeable sort and feared mostThe Karl Burke trained Laurens is a real tough cookie who has a tremendous strike rate, having won five of her seven starts. She ran a blinder on seasonal reappearance when runner-up in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and has since gone on to capture two Group 1 contests over 1m 2f in France.
Laurens now tackles 1m 4f for the first time but – if getting the trip – is the obvious danger to Sea Of Class. This daughter of Siyouni likes to race prominently and has a real will to win, as she showed when rallying gamely to beat the highly-regarded Without You in the Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp in May.
She has since gone on to put in a similar gutsy display when beating Musis America by a neck in the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) at Chantilly. The form of those races is top class, and the way in which Laurens has finished them off strongly suggests that the extra two furlongs of this may well be to her taste.
York also suits those that like to bowl along at the head of affairs, so that is another plus as regards the three-year-old’s chances. Laurens is also officially rated just 2lb lower than Sea Of Class, so does not have much to find on the market principal.
Her “you shall not pass” attitude is going to make her a tough nut to crack and Doyle will have to time his run on Sea Of Class to perfection again, so that she does get the chance to fight back. If he doesn’t, then Laurens has every chance of landing this – thus she is feared most.Irish raider Eziyra appeals each-way Anything sent over by top Irish trainer Dermot Weld alway commands the utmost respect. He is represented by Eziyra, who has a tough task on ratings and giving weight-for-age but has always looked a Group 1 performer in the making and therefore looks the each-way value in the race.
The daughter of Teofilo has won five of her nine starts, finishing in the frame on the four other occasions. She overcame a lengthy absence to make a winning return to action in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown 14 days ago when easily beating Stellar Mass by 2 1/2 lengths.
After being held-up, Eziyra came with a swooping run down the home straight before asserting inside the last furlong to win going away. It was a most taking performance and one which suggested she was well worth another crack at this level.
In her only previous try at the highest level, she was far from disgraced when a 7 1/2 length third to the brilliant Enable in last year’s Irish Oaks. Eziyra looks to have strengthened up significantly since then, while Weld has made no secret that he holds her in the highest regard.
As a four-year-old she faces no easy takes giving 8lb to Sea Of Class and Laurens, who are both rated her superior. However, given connections it would be folly to underestimate her chances and Eziyra has claims of making the frame at least; so, at the odds on offer, she had to be the each-way pick in our 2018 Yorkshire Oaks betting tips.Your Next Bet
