Epsom Friday
Betfred Oaks (Group 1)
THE Oaks has become something of an O’Brien project in recent times, with Master of Ballydoyle Aidan winning the fillies’ classic 11 times since 1998, but he breeds champions in human as well as equine form. While he was expected to win again with race favourite Amelia Earhart, he will be even happier that victory went instead to Thundering On (Dylan Browne McMonagle), trained by son Joseph, who was gaining his first win in the Epsom showpiece with the well-backed 5/1 chance.
With Sugar Island (Ronan Whelan) setting the pace for the Ballydoyle contingent, everything looked rosy at halfway for Amelia Earhart, who tracked the pace with Ryan Moore keeping his options open whether the field kept to the inside or swept wide off the home bend.
The favourite found less than anticipated when push came to shove, and as Sugar Island set sail up the centre of the track, it was soon clear that Thundering On and Legacy Link (John & Thady Gosden/Colin Keane) were the pair to focus on, as both moved through to challenge going well.
Storming home
That pair went on to dominate the finish, but McMonagle was struggling to keep a check on Salsabil Stakes winner Thundering On as she moved up to challenge and the daughter of Frankel looked in a league of her own as she pulled three and a quarter lengths clear at the line, with Legacy Link holding six lengths to spare over Sugar Island where it mattered.
Joseph O’Brien said: “The objective was to save as much energy as we could as the distance was the question mark. In the straight it was an easy watch. For her to be an Oaks winner is really special and Dylan gave her a fantastic ride.”
The winning jockey added: “We were coming into the race very confident; obviously the trip was going to be the question but she’s been doing everything so easy – she’s improving with every run and there was never a moment’s doubt, really.
“I didn’t really need to count, I was sitting last and I knew there was nothing going to be coming from behind me and I always had everything covered in front. She’s got a lot of class.
“The sky’s the limit. She’s very, very talented so a big well done to everyone who has got her here and hello to everyone at home in Donegal watching.”
THE Group 3 Diomed Stakes is the chief supporting race on Oaks day now that the Coronation Cup is run on the Derby undercard and the latest renewal produced a thrilling finish as 5/2 favourite Seagulls Eleven (Hugo Palmer/Oisin Murphy) got the better of a ding-dong battle with market rival and 2025 winner Persica (Richard Hannon/Sean Levey) to win by a nose, with Boiling Point (Karl Burke/Clifford Lee) a further two lengths back in third.
Seagulls Eleven tracked the front-running Boiling Point through the early stages and as the field crossed to the stands side in the straight, he grabbed the lead on the rail. But he was headed inside the final furlong by Persica who raced towards the centre of the track and looked sure to win when going a neck up with 50 yards to run, only for Murphy to conjure a rally from his mount, which saw him snatch an unlikely verdict in the final stride. Murphy was completing a quick double on the card having landed the Win With Zyn 3-y-o ‘Dash’ on the Katie Scott-trained Naana’s Shadow.
Carlisle Saturday
WITH Haydock still not fit for racing, the Group 3 Lester Piggott Stakes and its supporting card was moved to sister track Carlisle, and the stiffer finish was no issue for the classy Estrange (David O’Meara/Danny Tudhope) as the 8/11 favourite followed up last year’s win in the race previously known as the Pinnacle Stakes.
Settled just behind the leaders as Azaniya and Patagonia Girl set the pace, she travelled strongly and strode on easily, hitting the rising ground to beat market rival Waardah (Owen Burrows/Callum Rodriguez) and Coedana (Ed Bethell/Rossa Ryan) by a length and a half and two and a half lengths.
She had previously shown a preference for softer going but O’Meara was happy to let her take part on ground described as good to firm in places, feeling there was more than enough cushion on it, and she seemed more than happy as she cruised to victory with plenty more up her sleeve than the margin would imply.
The winner took the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks last year but her connections have loftier ambitions this year, with the Group 1 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh mooted as Estrange’s next target.
O’Meara said: “She was a little bit fresh running down the hill, but as they turned in and the further they went, it was more comfortable. They’re never easy to win and if you don’t bring your A game, you aren’t going to win them.
“The ground today was perfect; on faster ground she doesn’t let herself down as well. The Lancashire Oaks last year worked great, but the Pretty Polly would come under consideration, especially if the ground was slow.”
Washington back in the groove
Kevin Ryan and Tom Eaves combined to take the Listed Achilles Stakes with 11/2 chance Washington Heights, who had been below form in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket, but bounced back under more aggressive tactics here, making most to beat Ten Pounds (Joey Ramsden/Danny Tudhope) and Luna A Inbhir Nis (Katie Scott/Tom Marquand) by half a length and a neck.
The first five home were covered by a length and three-quarters. Eaves disputed the running for the first half of the race before kicking for home on a willing partner and Washington Heights responded gamely to win a little cosily.
Eaves told Racing TV: “It was a good run at Newmarket last time – he’s a year older and it was nice to get a run into him – and I was happy when the race was rescheduled as he won here as a two-year-old. Kevin said to keep it simple and he had him in great form.
“He’s very laid back, but I woke him up down at the start and he got his raceday head on - he’s a legend of a horse!”
One-two for Cox
Blue Courvoisier (Clive Cox/Saffie Osborne) was available at 16/1 the night before racing but a sustained gamble on the Alan Spence-owned gelding saw him start at an SP of 5/1 and backers rarely had a moment of worry.
He led every step of the way to record a length-and-a-half victory from stablemate Langstone (Rob Hornby). This was Cox’s third win in the race in the last decade.
Winning rider Saffie Osborne told ITV Racing: “I was able to get an easy lead, and he was pricking his ears. The stiff finish really suited him. He’s a lovely, big, straightforward horse who finds it all very easy; he has a high cruising speed – he’s shown that today and kept pulling out more.”