WHEN you’ve seen a 50-1 outsider turn over the Derby winner, the sight of an 8-1 shot edging out the well-backed Irish Oaks winner in the Yorkshire equivalent hardly constitutes a major shock.

Nevertheless, Pleascach’s victory in today’s Darley Yorkshire Oaks confirmed the Ebor Festival’s ability to spring a surprise and left the majority of punters on the Knavesmire scratching their heads for the second day in succession.

After winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh in May, the Jim Bolger-trained Pleascach had proved a disappointment as she failed to justify evens-money favouritism in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot before turning in another listless display on her return to action in Ireland.

She didn’t look like returning to winning ways as Covert Love (15-8) struck for home a long way out in yesterday’s feature Group One contest, but as the leader began to tie up in front, Pleascach’s superior stamina came to the fore.

With Kevin Manning timing his finish superbly in the saddle, Pleascach edged ahead in the final 100 yards to win by a neck. The win was an especially poignant one for Bolger, who trained New Approach to win the 2008 Derby, as Pleascach’s sire, Teofilo, was touted as a superstar after an unbeaten two-year-old campaign, only for a career-ending injury to mean he never saw a racetrack again.

“She’s got a really good constitution,” said Bolger. “Her sire was very hard, and ran five times as a two-year-old, getting better with each performance. Not many horses can do that, and she gets all of that from him.

“I don’t have to wonder how good he (Teofilo) might have been – I know – so it’s nice to see this horse making a name for herself.

“The last couple of times she ran, there wasn’t much pace, so Kevin had to break her stride to settle her and she didn’t like that. This time, he cuddled her round. I wasn’t sure she was going to get there, but Kevin says he was confident from two out.”

While this afternoon's feature race might have gone to an Irish trainer, the day’s biggest winner was a Yorkshireman, albeit one who now finds himself based in Newmarket.

William Haggas, who is the son-in-law of legendary jockey Lester Piggott, was raised in Skipton and educated in Bedale, and while he headed down south at the start of the 1980s to pursue a training career, he continues to regard a trip to York’s Ebor Festival as ‘coming home’. In the same way that Mark Johnston is regarded as the trainer to follow at Glorious Goodwood, Haggas has been the man to watch on the Knavesmire in late August in recent years.

His latest homecoming got off to a superb start on Tuesday as he saddled Recorder and Storm The Stars to Group-race victories, and he made it four wins in the space of two days by claiming the opening two races on yesterday’s card.

The most eye-catching victory belonged to Besharah (11-4), who took apart a top-class field to land the Pinsent Masons Lowther Stakes and catapult herself into the picture for next year’s 1,000 Guineas.

Despite being squeezed for room a couple of furlongs out, Besharah displayed an impressive combination of pace and bravery to force her way between Lumiere and Easton Angel and eventually ran out a comfortable two-and-a-quarter length winner of the Group Two contest.

The win earned the filly quotes of around 14-1 for next year’s opening fillies’ Classic, but Haggas’ immediate target is the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket at the end of next month.

“That’s the obvious race for her,” said Haggas, whose father, Brian, was a Yorkshire-based textile manufacturer. “She won that really well, and I think the step up to six furlongs has been good for her.

“To be honest, she surprised me with how well she looked. She’s beaten them easily and taken another step up. Easton Angel has been a pretty good guide all year, and she’s beaten her more easily in this race than when they last met.”

Besharah’s victory followed hot on the heels of another Haggas success, with Tasleet’s (2-1) dominant display in the DBS Premier Yearling Stakes ensuring that his trainer claimed the race for the third year in succession.

Despite not appearing to relish the rain-softened ground, the two-year-old, who was the subject of strong market support, responded to the urgings of jockey Paul Hanagan to see off Kevin Ryan’s Ferryover and Tim Easterby’s Still On Top, who filled the places despite never really troubling the winner.

“Is he a 2,000 Guineas prospect? I’d say it’s unlikely but you never know,” said Haggas. “I didn’t think this was him at his best, and he’d probably be better on better ground. It’s fantastic to keep the winning run going though – I’m very pleased.”