Sea the Stars’ Sea of Class In Yorkshire Oaks Masterclass

[Wandering Eyes]

   As her sire did in 2009, Sea of Class (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) carried the Tsui silks with genuine swagger to collect one of the York Ebor meeting’s trio of group 1 races, the Darley Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday. Winning with impressive panache in the G1 Irish Oaks at The Curragh July 21, the chestnut was the 7-4 favourite this time and James Doyle sat as quiet as he had in Kildare in rear throughout the early stages. Letting all rivals play their cards first in the straight, she was launched on the lead 1 1/2 furlongs out and had too much speed for the 4-year-olds Coronet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) who followed at 2 1/4-length and length intervals. “That was sensational–she surprised me today as it’s a front-runner’s track here and she had a bit to do, but she was devastating,” trainer William Haggas said. “She didn’t half pick up when he asked her and she’s doing really well. I thought at The Curragh you could see every rib, but you could only see a couple today. She’s a bit of a tail-swisher and all that, but she came to the races today and stood like a rock to be saddled and is as cool as a cucumber. She’s a very late foal and didn’t come to me until December and usually I don’t really like that but they felt she needed time. She’s not in the Arc, but I think Mrs Tsui will go for it if we want to.”

SEA OF CLASS (IRE), f, 3, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Holy Moon (Ire) (SW-Ity, $161,048), by Hernando (Fr)
2nd Dam: Centinela (GB), by Caerleon
3rd Dam: New Generation (Ire), by Young Generation (Ire)
(170,000gns Ylg ’16 TATDEY). O-Sunderland Holding Inc; B-Razza Del Velino SRL (IRE); T-William Haggas; J-James Doyle. £198,485. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Ire, 5-4-1-0, £470,232. *1/2 to Charity Line (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}), Hwt. 3yo-Ity at 9.5-11f & G1SW-Ity, $454,242; Final Score (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), G1SW-Ity, $435,934; Cherry Collect (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Ity at 9.5-11f, MGSW & G1SP-Ity, $497,183; Wordless (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), GSW-Ity, $148,264; Back On Board (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), GSP-Ity, $176,250; and Magic Mystery (GB) (Pour Moi {Ire}), SP-Ity.

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