Laurens to Yorkshire Oaks

[Wandering Eyes]

G1 French Oaks heroine Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) will sidestep next month’s G1 Irish Oaks at The Curragh and instead head straight for the G1 Yorkshire Oaks on Aug. 23.Having rounded off her juvenile campaign with a Group 1 triumph in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket, Karl Burke’s star filly has continued in the same vein this season, finishing second in the G1 1000 Guineas before landing the G1 Prix Saint-Alary and the G1 Prix de Diane.

“She has come out the race really well and there have been no issues,” said the North Yorkshire handler. “She will have a nice easy two or three weeks. We are not going to go for the Irish Oaks. We will miss that and hopefully go for the Yorkshire Oaks. We certainly hope we will go back to France for the Arc. The Yorkshire Oaks will tell us a lot more when we step up in trip again.”

Burke continued, “If there is any reason she doesn’t stay the mile and a half [of the Yorkshire Oaks], we have got the G1 Prix de l’Opera to consider. We’ve also been very kindly given an invite to a very valuable filly and mares race in Japan in November and of course there is also the Breeders’ Cup, so there’s plenty to think about. The main thing is she’s healthy and well and as tough as she is, she is good as well. She has lots of ability. Everyone says she keeps having hard races. I think she is only doing what she has to do and I think that is why she keeps backing up in these races. Long may it continue.”

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