FOREVER Together ran another big race in the Darley Irish Oaks to go down by a neck, and Bye Bye Baby ran an admirable race again to finish fourth, but the other filly to take out of Saturday’s race is Mary Tudor.

This was a massive step-up in class for Willie McCreery’s filly, from her run in the Oaks Trial at Naas last month, when she was beaten a length by Easter Lily. She hit the front early enough that day and there was always a possibility that she was capable of better than the bare form of that performance.

She wore the hood on Saturday that she had worn when she won a listed race at Navan on her debut this term but which was missing in the Oaks Trial. She travelled in rear through the early stages, she settled nicely, just in front of Sea Of Class, in a race that was not run at a frenetic gallop.

She had the energy to engineer a gap for herself between Tissiak and the retreating Magic Wand at the two-furlong marker. While she couldn’t withstand Sea Of Class’ finishing surge, she kept on all the way to the line for Billy Lee to finish a good third, just a length and a half behind runner-up Forever Together, and three and a half lengths clear of Bye Bye Baby in fourth.

OPTIONS

The Godolphin filly does not hold any lofty entries but she has plenty of options now. By Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes winner Dawn Approach, she is a half-sister to Ancient History and Turning Times, whose three collective wins have been gained over distances from a mile to 10 furlongs. Her dam never went beyond 10 and a half furlongs and is from the family of Street Cry and Shamardal. It’s all 10 furlongs.

She seemed to see out the 12-furlong trip well enough on Saturday but it may be that 10 furlongs will prove to be her absolute optimum.