All-weather facilities only as stars prepare for the Ebor festival at York

Yorkshire Oaks plan

They have already cast a statue of Alpinista to be installed at Heath House Stables later this year alongside those of her granddam Albanova, a three-time Group 1 winner, and relative Alborada, who won the Group 1 Champion Stakes in successive years (1998-99) for Sir Mark Prescott. Alpinista, a daughter of Frankel, will surpass those achievements if she can rack up a fifth straight win at the highest level in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks on August 18 and she looked up for the task in a workout on the Al Bahathri on Tuesday morning.

Alpinista at home at Heath House Stables

International aim

Alenquer is to have another crack at the Group 1 Juddmonte International at York in a fortnight, having finished second to Mishriff a year ago. The four-year-old was not suited to making the running when last of six, beaten four and a half lengths, in the Coral-Eclipse last time and seemed to have come out of that in great shape when striding out on the Al Bahathri on Tuesday morning. He could well pick up the pieces on the Knavesmire behind stablemate Baaeed.

Alenquer warms down after his workout

Haydock clues

As the watered gallop is closed, there are only two all-weather facilities suitable for fast work of any distance, so it was no surprise the car park at the top of the Al Bahathri was already full with jockeys’ vehicles by 6.15am. Among the most busy was trainer Roger Varian, who had Royal Champion (Andrea Atzeni) among his troops and is hoping to run him in the Group 3 Rose of Lancaster at Haydock on Saturday after 20mm of rain hit the north-west track.