5.30 DARLEY IRISH OAKS

(GROUP 1) 1M 4F

Bye Bye Baby: Classy filly at her best as evidenced by a victory in the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes here two months ago and a third in the Oaks at Epsom. However, that run and her later fourth in the Pretty Polly Stakes leave her with work to do and possibly she might prefer slower ground than she will encounter here.

Forever Together: On her first three outings she turned in a series of encouraging runs in defeat but she then took her form to an entirely different level when running riot in the Oaks at Epsom, defeating Wild Illusion by 4½l. She was unable to match that form back over 1m2f on quick ground in the Pretty Polly Stakes but a return to this distance will aid her cause and she commands the utmost respect.

Magic Wand: Looked a potentially high-class middle-distance filly when readily defeating Forever Together in the Cheshire Oaks and also when trouncing Wild Illusion by 4l in the Ribblesdale Stakes. In between those runs she was beaten 11l into fourth by Forever Together at Epsom but this much quicker ground will be much more to her liking and a reversal of that Oaks form could easily be in the offing.

Mary Tudor: Delivered on a series of fine efforts as a juvenile by making a winning reappearance in the Listed Salsabil Stakes over 1m2f at Navan in April. After a below par showing at Leopardstown she then bounced back with a 1l second in the Listed Oaks Trial at Naas late last month. However, even her best form leaves her with something to find against a few of these.

Romiyna: Looked a nice staying type when making a commanding winning debut over 1m 4f at Gowran in May. She has since had to settle for sixth in the 1m2f Oaks Trial at Naas and must do vastly better here although the return to 1m4f at a track like this will certainly aid her cause.

Sea Of Class: Highly promising filly who progressed from her debut second to defeat the subsequent Grade 1 scorer Athena in a 1m2f Newbury listed race two months ago. She returned to Newbury last month to notch up another 1m2f stakes races success and looks a very promising filly with more to offer. She appeals as a likely contender.

Tissiak: Progressed nicely from her debut run to chase home Athena in a Fairyhouse maiden and then registered a decisive victory in a 1m2f maiden at this track last month. On her first try at stakes level she was a respectable fifth in the Naas Oaks Trial, and there is probably more to come from her, but she will have to take a significant step forward to make her presence felt at this level.

Conclusion

Magic Wand will have her ideal conditions and she is a confident choice to reverse Epsom form with Forever Together who failed to match her Oaks heroics when beaten by Urban Fox in the Pretty Polly three weeks ago.

Sea Of Class is a promising filly who can easily progress further after just three runs. She should mount a strong challenge and looks the obvious threat to the aforementioned pair.