Midday's best-ever in Yorkshire Oaks

The race had been billed as a clash of the generations, with last year's dual Oaks winner Sariska and Ed Dunlop's Snow Fairy, who had completed the same double this season, taking each other on.

The third top-class filly in the field was Cecil's Midday, three times a Group One winner herself, including at the Breeders' Cup last November. But the big clash failed to materialise as Sariska rooted herself to the spot when the gates opened.

As expected it was Barshiba who set off at a frenetic early pace, which would have suited Snow Fairy. She could be spotted making stealthy headway under new jockey Richard Hughes, replacing the injured Ryan Moore, but Tom Queally was going just as well three furlongs out on the winner.

He kicked early and seemed to put the race to bed but, just as she had done in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, Midday drifted off a true line and gave Snow Fairy a second chance.

The three-year-old could not bridge the gap, though, and went down gallantly by three lengths. There was a further two back to Sir Michael Stoute's Eleanora Duse.

"That was a great performance. She was always going so well and she went and won the race, but then thought she'd done enough," said Cecil.

"She was alone in front but found more. It was a real pity Sariska didn't race, but the second is a very good filly.

"I would say that's as good as she's ever been and it was her best ever run. It's a bit of a consolation for the Prince (Khalid Abdullah, owner] with Twice Over getting beaten on Tuesday, and it's his decision where she runs next.

"There's the Prix Vermeille, the Prix de l'Opera or the Breeders' Cup. I wouldn't have thought it would be the Arc and I don't think she'd run in all three.

"We're not trying to prove we're the best in the world, rather just the best filly. I knew today she was better than at Goodwood, and time will tell if she can improve even further."

Coral make her 6-4 favourite for a second Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf crown, and Queally added: "It's fair to say she's getting better as she gets older. They went a good pace and I was sort of waiting for Sariska to come. She settled very well and got the trip very well, if anything I got there going a bit too well.

"She's one hell of a filly and she's very special to me. I wasn't aware Sariska was still in the stalls, I was keeping her up to her game as I thought she might be coming hard at the end.

"I knew I had the rest beat, but I went to the front a bit early.I needed a lead for another furlong and a half really, but she oozes class and ability and keeps getting better."

Sariska's trainer Michael Bell said: "Obviously it's disappointing and I'll have to talk to the owners about a plan, but if she's going to run again it has to be abroad and she's in the Prix Vermeille and other races. She was in the stalls for a long time and she is a little quirky, but not to that extent.

Dunlop said of the runner-up: "I'm delighted. I thought for a moment she might do something, but then Midday has quickened again and she's an exceptional filly. " Peter Reynolds, racing manager for owners Ballymacoll Stud, said of the third: "I'm absolutely thrilled as the objective was to get her placed in a Group One and it's paid off."