Estrange taken out of Yorkshire Oaks, with big autumn campaign looming

Estrange will bypass the Yorkshire Oaks and instead head for France ahead of what is hoped will be a huge autumn campaign.

David O’Meara’s Group One-winning stable star headed the ante-post market alongside Andrew Balding’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Kalpana for the feature race of Ladies Day on the Knavesmire later this month.

However, her entry for the Group One over a mile and a half, in which was she was second to Minnie Hauk last year, was scratched at Tuesday lunchtime, with the Willow Farm handler pointing the Cheveley Park Stud-owned mare across the Channel for other assignments.

“She’s probably going to France for the Prix Vermeille (September 9), I’d have thought, or the (Prix Jean) Romanet (August 23),” O’Meara told the Press Association.

When asked whether the current quick conditions at York were a factor in the decision, he added: “Probably a bit of that. There’s races like Prix de l’Opera and the Arc that are big targets as well.

“She was put in the Fillies & Mares (British Champions Day) that closed this morning and we might have half an eye on the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland as well. We will probably head to France, I would have thought.”