Kevin Blake

5:50 DARLEY IRISH OAKS

(GROUP 1) 1M 4F

Covert Love: Has made rapid strides up the ranks this season, winning a maiden at Chelmsford, a handicap at York and a listed race at York. This longer trip promises to suit and while she needs to improve again, she could well do so.

Curvy: A highly-progressive filly that has officially improved a total of 40lb in her four wins this season, with her best success coming in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. There is likely to be more to come and she is a leading contender.

Gretchen: Made a winning debut at Newmarket in May and stepped up on that when beaten six lengths behind Curvy in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. Entitled to improve again and shouldn’t be ruled out.

Jack Naylor: A Group 3-winning juvenile that made a highly-promising comeback when fourth in the Irish 1000 Guineas prior to proving a shade disappointing in the Oaks at Epsom. She may not have got the trip, but that run may simply have come too soon after the Curragh and she is worth another chance.

Kissed By Angels: Broke her maiden in a Group 3 at Leopardstown in May but proved disappointing on a sounder surface in the Irish 1000 Guineas. Not certain to get this trip based on her pedigree, but is an interesting prospect stepping up four furlongs in distance.

Qualify: A Group 3-winning juvenile, she sprung a 50/1 shock when winning the Oaks at Epsom prior to failing to reproduce that form in the Irish Derby. Needs to bounce back to her Epsom form to go close.

Speedy Boarding: Got off the mark in a maiden at Goodwood in May and followed it up by winning a listed race at Newbury last month. She is entitled to improve again for this longer trip, but will need to do so to a significant extent to get involved at this much higher level.

Stellar Glow: Made it seventh-time lucky when winning a maiden at Leopardstown last week and has shown useful form in stakes races prior to that. Needs to improve significantly to feature at this level.

Together Forever: Progressed into a Group 1-winning juvenile last season, but hasn’t quite matched that form in two starts this year, only finishing seventh in the Oaks at Epsom, for all that she didn’t look to be loving the track. She is worth another chance.

Words: Looked a filly of immense promise when winning a red-hot maiden at this track just over a year ago but had setbacks and only returned at Cork last month, beating Carla Bianca in the Munster Oaks. She seems sure to improve from that and has to be considered a leading contender.