Yorkshire Jockeys Horse Racing

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TRAINER Denis Coakley is looking forward to running his star mare Miss Marjurie in the Group 1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks, the feature on day two (Thursday 20 August) of the Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival.

The five-year-old by Marju had useful form last season, winning a competitive handicap at Epsom’s Derby meeting before signing off with a close-up second in Listed company.

However, she has scaled new heights in 2015 with two victories, both in black type contests.

The first came at Goodwood in May when she took the Listed Daisy Warwick Stakes, beating subsequent notable winners Mutatis Mutandis and Jordan Princess.

She then travelled to Haydock for the Group 3 Pinnacle Stakes where she came with a strong late run to beat Wonderstruck by a head.

She was last seen at the same venue finishing a creditable third in the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks and it has been all systems go for most valuable ever renewal of this famous Group 1 on the Knavesmire since that run, hoping to earn her share of £335,000 pot.

Coakley, who trains from his West Ilsley base in Berkshire, said: “Miss Marjurie seems in good form and the plan is to run in the Yorkshire Oaks.

“She has done well this season and although this is another step up, we feel that she deserves her chance.

“She has always shown plenty at home so it wasn’t a surprise to us that she has done so well. She is a very capable mare.

“The track should suit her and good or good to soft ground is ideal so that’s what we are hoping for.

“Runners at a meeting such as this is what we all want and it is great to go there with a mare like her.”

The Darley Yorkshire Oaks has been won by an illustrious list of fillies and mares over the years and the 2015 renewal is shaping up to be another memorable one.

It is often seen as a clash of the generations when the cream of the Classic generation take on the best older fillies in training over the Oaks distance of a mile and a half.

Last year saw the Aidan O’Brien-trained Tapestry overcome the favourite, Taghrooda, under a terrific ride by Ryan Moore.

The four-day Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival takes place from Wednesday, August 19-22.