Dubai: Godolphin's Blue Bunting scored plenty of courage and ability to capture a third Group One prize of the season when winning a thrilling renewal of the Darley Yorkshire Oaks on the second day of York's Ebor meeting Thursday.

Ridden in impeccable style by Frankie Dettori, the daughter of Dynaformer led early and fought back when headed by Tom Queally aboard Vita Nova in the closing stage of the mile and a half contest on the Knavesmire to prevail by ¾ lengths.

A handsome winner of the English 1,000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks earlier this year, Blue Bunting could not have been more impressive yesterday as she supplied Godolphin with a seventh Group One success of the year and 178th overall.

Epsom Oaks runner-up Wonder Of Wonders (8-1) was third, and Crystal Capella fourth under Kieren Fallon.

Despite carrying an injury, Dettori performed his trademark flying dismount and said: "She was in season today, so her mind wasn't exactly on the job — she made it really hard work for me.

"She's never going to be flash — ie, winning by a long margin — but she's very hard to pass.

"Her form all year has been red hot and she's very tough. Her strength is her stamina and she loves a dog-fight as she's shown in Ireland and the Guineas."

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford was delighted with Blue Bunting who he described as a ‘true star.'

"She's such a tough filly — so resolute — and when the second came to her, she wasn't having any of it," he said. "Her toughness matches her brilliance. She's a fantastic filly to have won a Guineas, an Irish Oaks and a Yorkshire Oaks on different types of ground. She's a great all-rounder and a top-notch filly.

"We've got some great races that will suit her, possibly the St Leger, Breeders Cup and a race in Japan. All of them come into the equation. But for now it will be nice to go to Town Moor (Doncaster, St Leger). There's every reason to go for the last Classic."

British bookmakers reacted to Blue Bunting's latest winning by promoting her to 6/1 joint favourite for the Leger behind the 11/8 favourite Sea Moon, Sir Michael Stoute's Great Voltigeur Stakes winner.

Meanwhile, unbeaten Best Terms stormed into the reckoning for next year's 1,000 Guineas when outclassing her rivals in the Group Two Lowther Stakes.

Acceleration

Richard Hannon's filly was challenged by runner-up Fire Lily, ridden by Wayne Lordan in the final furlong but found another set of gears to win going away at the line.

David Simcock's Hello Glory finished third.

"She was very good," said Richard Hughes of Best Terms. "She's small, but she's not as small as she was — she's grown a bit.

"We've always said she needed six [furlongs], and she got away with it in the Queen Mary."

Best Terms was quoted at 12-1for next year's 1,000 Guineas Classic, behind the favourite Maybe (5/1) and Godolphin's Discourse (8/1).

Up-coming apprentice Harry Bentley, who enjoyed a great winter season in Dubai, won the Goddard Stakes aboard 25/1 Navajo Chief.

Bentley got the best out of the Alan Jarvis-trained gelding in the final stride to deny Smarty Socks by three-quarters of a length.

"He's such a game horse. The more he went on, the more he picked up. He managed to break so well and has taken me there nicely the whole way," Bentley said.