2026 Legends Global Yorkshire Oaks: runner-by-runner guide and tip

The sporting decision by Kalpana’s owner/breeder to keep her in training has paid off in spades thus far and she sets a solid standard after putting up a career best performance to win a stellar King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes last time, beating Calandagan by a length and a half.

An incredibly consistent mare, her only finish outside of the top three in 17 starts so far came in last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and she has an exceptional turn of foot which she should be able to use effectively again here on fast ground. The highest rated filly/mare in Europe on Timeform ratings should prove hard to beat.

The defending champion won four Oaks last season, but was well below par in the King George last month, trailing home second last after briefly hitting the front turning into the straight.

Though she won on her reappearance in the Mooresbridge over a mile and a quarter, this longer trip is clearly her optimum, so it was all the more surprising to see her fail to fire at Ascot last time.

She had previously chased home Ombudsman in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes after disappointing in the Tattersalls Gold Cup when she had excuses. She is clearly talented and proven on the Knavesmire, but is becoming frustrating this season and her win in this race 12 months ago remains her most recent top-level win.

Daughter of Camelot arrives at York in the form of her life having won her past two races, the Daisy Warwick at Goodwood and the re-arranged Lancashire Oaks at Newmarket by four and a half lengths.

The progressive filly was a distant fourth in the Musidoa on her only previous visit to the track but she is clearly much improved this year and since tackling a mile and a half.

She is not short on stamina and is likely to give a bold bid from the front end, but this is her first foray into Group One company and further improvement is required.

The first of six three-year-olds in this year’s race, Earth Shot is a half-sister to Devil’s Advoate and she followed up her close second in the Height Of Fashion Stakes at Goodwood by winning the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot.

She was, however, a disappointing sixth when sent off the 9-4 favourite for the Irish Oaks last month where nothing came to light publicly post-race, though she wasn’t ideally positioned and should have finished closer.

As a result, she comes here with a bit to prove, but a return to her Ascot form would see have solid each-way claims.

Beat Earth Shot by a head at Goodwood in May and then finished third in the Prix de Diane, two and a quarter lengths behind winner Diamond Necklace. She ran to a similar level last month when second, albeit comfortably beaten by the winner, in the Irish Oaks, well ahead of Earth Shot.

That latest effort was her first attempt at the trip and she appeared to relish the stiffer test and galloping track. Oisin Murphy also had to wait for a run in the closing stages, so her effort can be marginally upgraded.

There is, however, a major concern over the yard’s form at present, having gone 34 runners without a winner and no success in the last 50 days.

An emphatic winner of the Irish Oaks last month, she comfortably reversed form with Earth Shot after finishing behind her in the Ribblesdale, and she is hugely progressive. 

Unusually for a race over this trip here, there is plenty of pace on, and Joseph O’Brien’s €460,000 yearling is another that is likely to be settled prominently.

Beaten on her first two starts over a mile and an extended mile and a furlong, she has proven a different proposition over a mile and a quarter, and beyond.

With just five starts to her name, there is a chance she has more improvement in the locker, though this is by far her toughest task to date.

A tenacious winner of the Musidora here over a furlong and a half less in May, she took another step forward when chasing home the impressive Thundering On in the Oaks at Epsom the following month.

However, she took a step backwards when, as 13-8 favourite, she could only manage seventh of twelve in the Ribblesdale.

That came less than two weeks after her Classic effort, and she is probably better judge on her earlier promise. She has been freshened up since and is capable of better, but she has plenty to find on ratings.

Sparan Nua has had an unusual campaign. Unraced before May 9 this year, she won impressively at the first attempt at big odds, and then won by an even wider margin of four and a half lengths on her second start.

She then landed the hat-trick when stepped up to a mile and a half for the first time and she then ran a fine third in the Irish Oaks. Last time, however, she was stepped back in trip to contest the Desmond Stakes over a mile, but could only manage fourth.

This quick turnaround back over a longer trip should be much more to her liking, but it is difficult to see any obvious reason as to how she reverses form with Johanna Walsh.

Seemingly in here for pacemaker duties after trailing home last of ten in the Irish Oaks behind four stablemates.

Though she has strong form to her name, including defeating Thundering On over a mile at the Curragh in October, she hasn’t got close to winning since and was beaten almost ten lengths by that rival when a remote third in the Oaks at Epsom in June.

The cheekpieces she wore for the first time at the Curragh last month have been dispensed with, and she is drawn immediately to the outside of stablemate Minnie Hauk in stall five.

If she is in anything like the form she showed at Ascot last month, then the top-rated runner KALPANA is going to take plenty of beating here, with everything seemingly in her favour for another big performance back against her own sex. The progressive Johanna Walsh can prove best of the Classic contingent, with Tattycoram fancied to outrun her odds for Ralph Beckett.

1 KALPANA. 2 JOHANNA WALSH. 3 TATTYCORAM.