Love bidding to conquer all

Irish Oaks winner Covert Love aims to confirm the Curragh form with a couple of old rivals as she heads a field of 11 in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks at York this afternoon.

The Azamour filly gave trainer Hugo Palmer a first Group One winner when landing last month's fillies' Classic, with the reopposing Jack Naylor and Curvy second and third respectively.

Covert Love, who was supplemented for this race, was stepping up from a Listed success at Newcastle that day, but Palmer believes her Hoppings Stakes triumph could prove useful experience as she tackles older rivals for the first time.

He said: "Covert Love has been great since the Irish Oaks - I'm absolutely delighted with her.

"The £35,000 supplementary fee is a lot of money but luckily it's her money, money that she won at the Curragh, and it was not a difficult decision at all because the Yorkshire Oaks was the obvious race for her.

"She beat Jack Naylor and Curvy last time, who she meets again. Now she has got to take on the older generation, but she has already beaten older fillies at Newcastle, albeit only in a Listed race.

"The strong pace in Ireland suited her but she has made her own running and is very amenable - we have never had to think too much about how she's going to be ridden."

Pat Smullen rode her for the first time at the Curragh, becoming her fifth different jockey in as many runs, and maintains the partnership.

Palmer said: "Up until now a different jockey has ridden her in every race, and none of them have done anything wrong, but Pat is the man that has won a Group One on her so he keeps the ride.

"As my first Group One winner she will always be a very special filly to me and one day I hope to have a painting of her. She's sweet, a total and utter sweetheart who loves her training and is very straightforward.

"To win my first British Group One with her would mean a massive amount."

Jessica Harrington was pleased to see rain on the Knavesmire earlier in the week as she would not have welcomed fast ground for Jack Naylor.

The Champs Elysees filly has raced solely in Classic company this term, finishing fourth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas before posting a slightly disappointing sixth in the Oaks at Epsom.

Jack Naylor bounced back to form when beaten a length and three-quarters by Covert Love at the Curragh and Harrington is eager to see how her filly fares in a rematch.

She said: "Everything has gone well since the Curragh and I'm very pleased with her. I was delighted with her at the Curragh, she ran a good race. Maybe the winner got first run on her, but she's travelled over to York well and they've had a little bit of rain there. That is a positive for us as I wouldn't have wanted rattling fast ground.

"We are hoping for the best but it's a very good race and a proper Group One. Every race is different and we will just see what happens. Hopefully she's a very good ride in the race.

"A bit of rain would help her. Safe ground would be fine, but she wouldn't want it rattling."

Lady Of Dubai will be trying to improve on her third place in the Oaks at Epsom in June, when she was beaten just two and a half lengths.

She was last seen finishing sixth in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood but trainer Luca Cumani is anticipating a better show as she endured a troubled passage in Sussex.

He told www.lucacumani.com: "As with any Group One contest the competition is fierce, but she is in excellent form and has been working very well at home since Goodwood.

"The Irish Oaks winner Covert Love has been supplemented and the presence of the Hugo Palmer-trained filly should help ensure a decent pace, which will suit Lady of Dubai and, granted more luck than in the Nassau Stakes, we are confident she will be in the shake up.

"Adam Kirby cannot do the weight of 8st 11lb, while Andrea Atzeni is banned, so Lady of Dubai will have a new jockey in the shape of James Doyle. This should not pose any problems as she is a very straightforward filly."

Aidan O'Brien fields two in Gowran Listed winner Easter and Belmont Oaks third Outstanding, while the David Wachman-trained Curvy provides another string to the Coolmore bow.

Jim Bolger's Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Pleascach is also in the line-up but she has ground to make up on Curvy, who beat her in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.