Quiff annihilates lacklustre field to win Yorkshire Oaks

Quiff, third in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot two months ago, bounced back to land the Group Yorkshire Oaks in emphatic style yesterday.

The Sadler's Wells filly totally annihilated her seven rivals in the mile and a half contest to win by 11 lengths under champion jockey Kieren Fallon.

Ante post favourite Ouija Board, a dual Classic winner, was withdrawn just an hour and a half before the race, because of ground conditions. Summitville was also taken out.

That left eight, including Godolphin's favourite Punctilious, to contest the York showpiece.

But once Kieren Fallon took Quiff, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, into the lead three furlongs out the filly moved into another gear and pulled away from her outclassed rivals.

Pongee, the mount of Jimmy Fortune, was second, with Hazarista a length and a half away third for Mick Kinane. Punctilious trailed in fourth, a further nine lengths adrift.

Godolphin Racing Manager Simon Crisford told Sportinglife: "There are no excuses - she was beaten by a better filly on the day."

Quiff was giving Fallon and Stoute their third successive win in the race after Islington won in 2002 and 2003.

"We thought she'd win, but we didn't know she'd win by that far," said Stoute.

"She's a very progressive filly. She ran well in the Ribblesdale on ground that wasn't ideal for her - she likes a bit of give.

"She's in the St Leger, so we'll have to think about that route."

Earlier Clive Brittain and Seb Sanders teamed up to win the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes with long-shot Tony James.

Andronikos, ridden by Fallon was second and 10-3 favourite Abraxas Antelope third.

Godolphin's Crimson Sun, the mount of Kerrin McEvoy, broke well and raced prominently till the two furlong marker.

But McEvoy was unable to find more from his charge who weakened to come home in eighth place.
Stablemate Council Member, ridden by Frankie Dettori, raced at the rear of the field and finished in 11th place.

Both Council Member and Crimson Sun showed their disliking of the extremely soft ground at York.

Winning rider Sanders commented: "Mr Brittain said to me before the race that if he acts on the ground he'll win, and he acted on it better than the rest, I think.

"They were all struggling on it at halfway, and I was the only one really travelling on it.

"He wasn't stopping, but he's a big horse, he's got a lot of strengthening up to do and I'm sure he'll improve."

Brittain added: "He will have different ground in the Kentucky Derby. I trained some of the family and we knew there was a good chance he would act on the soft ground.

"Six furlongs would be on the short side on fast ground, but on this we had no fears." Godolphin's Fantastic Love finished seventh behind Mephisto in the Ebor Heritage Handicap over 14 furlongs.

The four-year-old Peintre Celebre gelding raced keenly in the early stages and was settled by Frankie Dettori in the midfield.

He began to make some progress over six furlongs from the finish and came to deliver his challenge three furlongs out.

He ran on gamely before weakening inside the final furlong to eventually finish seventh.

Mephisto won in a time of 3 minutes 06.10 seconds.