Image source, Getty Images
Sea Of Class was installed as one of the favourites for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after a dominant victory in the Yorkshire Oaks at York.
The William Haggas-trained filly took several lengths out of the field in a matter of strides in the home straight.
The 7-4 favourite beat Coronet by two lengths and Haggas expects the horse’s owners to now look towards the Longchamp showpiece in October.
“She’s not in the Arc yet – and I stress it is a ‘yet’,” said Haggas.
“There is a lot of water to pass under the bridge, but I imagine Mrs Tsui (owner) will be keen to pay the supplementary fee.”
But in Thursday’s showpiece race – on Haggas’ 58th birthday – Sea of Class showed a fine turn of foot when Coronet and Eziyra – who finished third – looked to make moves in the late stages.
“The plan is to keep her in training next season, but if she won everything this year then it might be different,” added Haggas.
“She was devastating. You always hope they are going to do something like that, but she really was impressive. She was the best of the lot.”
‘Three-year-olds shine’ – Analysis
Cornelius Lysaght, BBC horse racing correspondent
Those of us – and I was certainly one – who feared that super-filly Alpha Centauri might be the sole top-notch three-year-old in 2018 have been put back in our boxes.
After Roaring Lion’s International Stakes success, two fabulous females aged three dominated the big races on day two of the Ebor Festival.
Sea Of Class was hugely impressive in the Yorkshire Oaks as was Lah Ti Dar in the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes; the former isn’t in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but will probably be added and is a major player, while it looks like the St Leger next, against the colts, for the latter.