York Ebor meeting: Yorkshire Oaks and more on day two – horse racing live

Andrew Balding and Colin Keane combined to land the feature race for the second day running at York's Ebor Festival as Kalpana, the King George winner, bravely held the late challenge of the outsider Sparan Nua by a short-head in the Group One Yorkshire Oaks.

Sugar Island, a 100-1 outsider, galloped into a 20-length lead in the early stages of the 12-furlong contest and was still a long way clear of her pursuers at the top of the home straight.

Keane and Kalpana were first from the pack to challenge as Sugar Island's stride began to shorten a quarter of a mile out and they hit the front just over a furlong from home, but the effort started to tell in the closing stages as Sparan Nua (25-1) and Rossa Ryan finished strongly. Jim Bolger's filly was in front a stride after the line, but a short-head shy where it mattered.

Balding, Keane and the Juddmonte bloodstock operation took Tuesday's International Stakes here with Item and now have another leading contender for the the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris in October.

“You knew after going a couple of furlongs it was going to be messy,†Barry Mahon, Juddmonte's European racing manager, said afterwards, “and passing the three [furlong marker], I thought the pacemaker was gone.

“When [Keane] saw himself the pacemaker was gone, he had to chase her down a little bit, so she was always going to be vulnerable to something closing late, but she's gutsy and knows where the line is. It's not pretty, but she got the job done and that's the main thing.â€

“We have the horse from yesterday [Item] too, so whether he'll go to the Arc and we wait for [the Fillies & Mares Stakes at] Ascot with this filly … We have to sit down in a week or two and discuss all that, but it's a nice problem to have.â€

Kalpana is top-priced at 10-1 for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, while Item can be backed at 14-1.

That's a 181-1 treble in three consecutive races for Andrew Balding, and a 95-1 double for Oisin Murphy in his ongoing pursuit of Billy Loughnane in the Flat jockeys' championship.

1. PRIZELAND 11-1, 2. Rhapsody, 3. Capichera. 13 ran

A real charge for position early on, six across the track at one point …

They settle down with Ashariba leading, Merveilleux Lapin next …

Vauntingly well placed, so too A La Prochaine …

They turn in and drift towards the centre, plenty with chances …

A La Prochaine drops away, Prizeland goes on, quickly clear under Oisin Murphy and it's going to be a treble on the day for Andrew Balding …

Vauntingly is the one for late money here and … they are off and running in the 4.10 at York …

4.10 York, Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes, Listed, 1m 3f 188yd

The last race on today's ITV schedule is one of the lesser events on the Ebor Festival schedule but it is a competitive event of its type and A La Prochaine, at 100-30, is the highest-priced favourite on today's card so far.

Ralph Beckett's filly has just three career starts so far and finished fourth in the Oaks, no less, on her latest start after setting off at 22-1.

Vauntingly, from Joseph O'Brien's yard, is around the same price to go one better than her recent second-place finish at Listed level at Gowran Park, while Ryan Moore takes the reins on John & Thady Gosden's Morrophore, stepping up into Listed company after winning an all-weather handicap off 101 last time.

SELECTION: A LA PROCHAINE.

There's still plenty of ground to make up, but Kalpana's win in the Yorkshire Oaks adds another £340k to Andrew Balding's prize money total for the year. Could he make a late run for a first success in the Flat trainers' championship?

Alpinista went on to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after winning the Yorkshire Oaks in 2022, Minnie Hauk was a close second in Paris after taking this race last year and Prince Ahmed bin Khalid bin Abdullah, the son of the Juddmonte operation's founder, has just confirmed that the showpiece event of the European season will be Kalpana's main autumn target.

She has been cut from 10-1 to 7-1 by Paddy Power.

Andrew Balding and Colin Keane have completed a Group One double for the Juddmonte operation on the first two days of the Ebor Festival. Keane is chatting to ITV's Oli Bell in the winner's enclosure.

It got a little bit messy with the pacemaker so far in front of us and she had to be the one to chase them down. She's all guts … and all class.

1. KALPANA 10-11 fav, 2. Sparan Nua, 3. Minnie Hauk. 9 ran.

Sugar Island finished second-last in the end but turned the race into a big test for the favourite, who chased the pace-setter down and then had to cling on as Jim Bolger's Sparan Nua tried to mug her on the line. Kalapana, just, held firm.

That was close in the end but Kalapana has held on to win a fourth Group One!

Sugar Island sets off to make the running, Kalpana mid-division and Minnie Hauk second last …

Johanna Walsh is closest to the pace-setting Sugar Island, who is well clear …

Sugar Island now 20 lengths clear and already turning in,

Kalpana setting off after Sugar Island, she's picking her up and hits the front

Kalpana starting to tire, here comes Sparan Nua … it's going to be tight … PHOTO

They're going into the stalls for the Yorkshire Oaks …

Kalpana last in … and they're off!

Yorkshire Oaks latest betting:

10-11 Kalpana
4-1 Minnie Hauk
5-1 Johanna Walsh
12-1 Legacy Link
20-1 bar

I'm siding with Kalpana to follow up her King George success, by the way, not least because Minnie Hauk was so disappointing last time.

SELECTION: KALPANA.

Legacy Link also deserves a mention ahead of the Yorkshire Oaks, as she followed up her win in the Musidora here in May with a second-place finish behind Thundering On in the Oaks at Epsom.

Yorkshire Oaks contender: Johanna Walsh

The top-rated three-year-old in today's race has made rapid strides since winning a maiden event at Leopardstown in May.

Joseph O'Brien rapidly moved her up in class after that win on her third trip to the track, pitching Johanna Walsh into the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, and she ran an outstanding race to finish a head behind Earth Shot, also a runner in today's race.

Johanna Walsh excelled herself again in the Irish Oaks next time, galloping four lengths clear to win her first Group One.

Yorkshire Oaks contender: Minnie Hauk

The second-favourite for today's big race had a magnificent three-year-old season in 2025, starting with an easy win in the Cheshire Oaks and then reeling off a Group One treble in the Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks.

Her season concluded with a close second behind Daryz in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and then a sixth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Turf when nothing went her way.

She has had a tougher time of it so far this year, however, with only a single Group Two win on her return to action in May and three subsequent defeats at Group One level.

Her run into second behind Ombudsman at Royal Ascot is the clear pick of her 2026 efforts …

… but she was a long way behind Kalpana in the King George and needs to be back at her Royal Ascot form – and perhaps even better – to notch a second successive win in today's feature.

1. THE LOST KING 7-1, 2. Bullet Point, 3. Spell Master. 14 ran.

Oisin Murphy got that just right, effectively a front-running race while sitting in second place. Mirsky flew through the first seven furlongs but The Lost King was ideally placed to take over as he started to falter and there was only one winner from there.

Callum Shepherd, though, had a nightmare on Checkandchallenge, who was backed from 25-1 to 10-1 in the run-up to the race. His hand slipped taking off the blindfold, and by the time he got him out of the stalls, his race was already as good as over.

Checkandchallege was a late gamble but missed the kick completely …

Mirsky leads from The Lost King, Centigrade racing off the pace …

Mirsky really powering along, turns in four clear …

The Lost King in pursuit and now making ground, …

The Lost King takes over, Centigrade making ground but all too late, it's going to be The Lost King that wins …

Off and running in the 3.00 at York …

3.00 York, Sir Kevin Sinfield 7 in 7 Grand Finale Handicap, 7f 192yd

A change of name for the big eight-furlong handicap on the Ebor meeting's second day, after the sponsor, SkyBet, donated the naming rights to mark Sir Kevin Sinfield's magnificant fund-raising efforts in honour of his late friend and team-mate, Rob Burrow.

Sinfield has raised more than £15m over the last six years to support those affected by Motor Neurone Disease (MND), after Burrow, who died in 2024, was diagnosed with the condition in 2019.

Today's race is suitably competitive, with Ralph Beckett's Centigrade currently heading the market at 5-2 to make a successful handicap debut. Bullet Point (William Haggas/Tom Marquand) is next in on 5-1 and The Lost King (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy) is 11-2.

SELECTION: CENTIGRADE.

Yorkshire Oaks contender: Kalpana

An ultra-competitive handicap over a mile is next on the menu here at 3.00, but first here's a quick look at the favourite for today's feature race.

Andrew Balding's mare has been a regular at Group One level for three seasons now, having notched her first win at the highest level in the Fillies & Mares event on Champions Day at Ascot in October 2024.

She followed up in the same race 12 months later, but took her form to a new level in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last time out, her first Group One win in all-aged company.

That took her career record to 8 wins from 17 starts with three Group One wins, and she goes into today's race as Timeform's top-rated runner on a mark of 128.

Sun Princess was a Group One winner already but that was still a remarkable performance by Aidan O'Brien's filly. She gets a quote of 8-1 (from 10-1) for next year's 1,000 Guineas from Paddy Power.

1. SUN PRINCESS evens fav, 2. Battle Fever, 3. Speed Of Sound, 4. Pride Of Toledo. 20 ran.

Sun Princess was matched at a high of 23-1 in running on Betfair as everything seemed to be going wrong at halfway, but the transformation when Ryan Moore's mount got a chance to open up was extraordinary.

Moore is typically low-key as he returns to unsaddle:

She was always going well. It's not ideal when you get a trip like that, but she was always going easily.

Sun Princess slow to stride, far side has it early …

Satellite Of Love better away, but Vollering leads …

Sun Princess is nearly last and gets stopped inside the final quarter …

But oh my, look at this … Moore pulls to the centre and asks for an effort and suddenly Sun Princess is flying … she's in front half a furlong out and this is all over … Sun Princess has outclassed them completely

Off and running in the 2.25 York …

2.25 York, latest betting:

evens Sun Princess
4-1 Satellite of Love
6-1 Tokaido
14-1 Thebesthasyetocome
20-1 bar

There's a jockey change in this race, by the way, as Tony Piccone's flight from France to ride Tokaido was cancelled. Clifford Lee steps in to chase a share of the £300k first prize.

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. 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.

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.