DARLEY IRISH OAKS

(GROUP 1)

A FIRST Irish classic success for William Haggas was delivered in a style befitting such a landmark triumph as James Doyle executed a waiting ride of rare and assured quality on Sea Of Class.

The only English runner in the line-up, she was the winner of two Newbury stakes races and a filly of major potential but pitted against her was a formidable array of Ballydoyle talent.

Aidan O’Brien relied on Epsom’s Oaks winner Forever Together, the Ribblesdale heroine and odds on favourite Magic Wand and the Epsom third Bye Bye Baby.

However, for the fourth time this season, O’Brien had to settle for the runner-up position in an Irish classic as Sea Of Class pounced in the final yards.

In victory Sea Of Class has announced herself as an emerging middle-distance star, while there was a certain symmetry to this triumph as it was achieved at a meeting where her sire, Sea The Stars, first set foot on a racecourse 10 years ago.

Fresh from victories in the Anglesey Stakes and the Minstrel Stakes on the undercard, James Doyle was coolness and patience personified on the Sunderland Holding-owned Sea Of Class (11/4) who looked on from the rear of the seven-runner field for most of the race.

Up front Bye Bye Baby cut out the pace, but as the runners entered the straight Donnacha O’Brien struck for home on Forever Together.

CONFIDENCE

At this stage Sea Of Class moved out towards the middle of the track and Doyle continued to exude the utmost confidence in his mount. Indeed, at no stage did the winning jockey resort to the whip as his mount moved ever closer to the lead.

A game Forever Together remained in front passing the furlong pole and she kept finding more to repel Mary Tudor who ran a huge race in third for Willie McCreery.

Despite her best efforts though the Epsom heroine was unable to withstand the oncoming Sea Of Class who found a way past in the final yards to score by a neck.

Mary Tudor was a further length and a half away in third with Bye Bye Baby back in fourth. Magic Wand finished a disappointing fifth.

“It’s fantastic. I told James to be brave but I didn’t think he’d be that brave. He’s just in a very rich vein of form at the moment and I’m not just talking about his treble today.

“He took it up fairly close home but he said she was on her game,” said a delighted Haggas, who was making it two Group 1s in just under three weeks following Urban Fox’s Pretty Polly Stakes triumph.

“I’m a fledgling trainer for Mrs Tsui so it’s nice to deliver one of these early on. I was actually never that keen on going to Epsom and then I had just come round to the idea of going there when it rained so someone up there was telling me not to run.

PEDIGREE

“This filly has a good turn of foot and I said to James that if you found yourself in front with two furlongs to run you’re in trouble. This filly didn’t come to us until December but she always showed speed and then her pedigree suggested that she would stay a mile and a half so we felt that she must have plenty of class.

“Today was the number one priority so we need to make a plan now. There are races like the Yorkshire Oaks and the Prix Vermeille but I think Mrs Tsui will keep her on next year so we could do those races next year.”

Meanwhile, the hero of the hour, Doyle, added: “The third time I rode her I was kicking myself as I half panicked on her and thought the race was getting away from me, so I asked her to go miles too soon.

“Today she was in a beautiful rhythm and was so relaxed. I was always comfortable and it was quite a spectacular performance.

“I’m so pleased to ride a classic winner for William and Maureen. We’ve had lots of nice winners, but these are the ones you want and I’m so happy and pleased that I could pay back the faith they have shown in me. She is very exciting.”

“Albeit I haven’t rode for William for very long, but I don’t think I’ve seen him as excited before a big race, so I knew the signs were good,” concluded Doyle.

A very productive day for the English raiders

REST OF THE CARD

IN addition to the Oaks, it was an excellent afternoon for the various English raiders and, in particular David O’Meara. He notched up a lucrative double headed by Larchmont Lad in the Group 2 Friarstown Stud Minstrel Stakes.

The Cheveley Park Stud-owned four-year-old, who was disqualified after passing the post in front in last season’s Knockaire Stakes at Leopardstown, couldn’t have enjoyed a more straightforward passage through the race.

He cut out the pace for James Doyle and readily shook off the attentions of St Patrick’s Day with around two furlongs to run.

At this point several other would be challengers were in contention but none could mount a telling effort and Larchmont Lad went to the line well to see off his stablemate So Beloved by half a length.

This was the winner’s first success since September 2016.

“I thought that both of them were coming over with good chances. This horse is a straightforward and tough sort and he got a fantastic ride from James,” declared O’Meara.

“I’ll speak to Chris Richardson (Cheveley Park manager) about what he’d like to do and I would imagine that So Beloved will go back to Goodwood for the Lennox Stakes. It’s great to see him running so well at the age of eight.”

Earlier, a lucrative 2018 for the O’Meara-trained Intisaab (8/1) continued into the Tote Scurry Handicap as he landed his second six-figure prize of the year.

On his first outing in Ireland since being touched off in a handicap on Irish Champions Weekend in 2016, the classy seven-year-old revelled in the demands posed by this extended six-furlong dash.

As compatriot Shepherd’s Purse blazed a trail Danny Tudhope was content to drop his mount in but Intisaab began to creep ever closer from over two furlongs out.

Intisaab then came through to lead entering the last furlong and he kept on well to account for Ardhoomey who produced a fine effort off top weight to lose out by three parts of a length.

“He’s had a great year already having won a valuable race in Qatar and a conditions race at Haydock,” commented O’Meara of the Stuart Graham-owned gelding.

“He’s borderline better than handicap class and quick ground and big fields suit him well. He loves a fast pace and having plenty of horses to aim at so. It’s possible he could be back here on Irish Champions Weekend.”

DIAMOND DAZZLES

In addition to his success on Larchmont Lad, Doyle also struck on Mark Johnston’s Marie’s Diamond who became the first English-trained winner of the Group 3 Jebel Ali Racecourse and Stables Anglesey Stakes in 18 years.

The Middleham Park Racing-owned colt was making his second visit of the season to Ireland, having finished a fine second in the Group 2 Railway Stakes last month, and he duly confirmed the merit of that display.

Fantasy set a blistering early pace but the Doyle-ridden colt always looked comfortable in second and he was perfectly placed when Fantasy gave best nearing the last furlong.

The promising course maiden winner Viadera emerged with the strongest challenge of all but Marie’s Diamond would not be deterred and he succeeded by half a length.

“The race panned out perfectly, I got a nice tow into it and while the leader died early enough and left me in front my horse saw it out well. He’s a nice horse and he shouldn’t have any problem getting seven furlongs or a mile,” reported Doyle.

WORK IN PROGRESS

After starting out his career with a very promising second to Klute at this track three weeks ago Jim Bolger’s Guaranteed (4/1) got off the mark in willing style in the Club Godolphin Irish EBF Maiden.

The Jackie Bolger and Rectory Road Holdings-owned son of Teofilo made the running for Kevin Manning in a race where very few of the runners were able to get meaningfully involved.

Over the last couple of furlongs, Guaranteed had to contend with the challenge of the favourite, Mount Tabora, but he found plenty when required to grind out a head success, with Giga White a further two and a quarter lengths away in third.

“He’s still green and he has a bit of learning to do. He will be stepping up to stakes company now but he’s still a work in progress.

“I do have him entered in the Futurity Stakes here next month but I’d prefer a mile for him,” reported the trainer.

Ice Cold In Alex and Kailee, who were involved in a prolonged barging match here on Derby weekend, dominated the conclusion of the seven-furlong Extra.ie Handicap with the former getting the verdict under Niall McCullagh.

The reliable four-year-old is in the ownership of Middleham Park Racing Ireland and,

at the line, the 9/2 chance had a neck to spare.

“He’s been knocking on the door. He doesn’t win that often but he’s been running consistently,” stated Condon.

“Seven furlongs or a mile suits him and he likes quick ground and a level track.”

GALWAY-BOUND

Lisa O’Neill made it back to back victories in the Boodles Ladies Derby as Gordon Elliott’s Batts Rock (7/2) shrugged off the burden of top weight.

The Noel Moran-owned five-year-old, who made a winning debut for the trainer at Bellewstown, moved to the head of the field at the entrance to the straight and he then maintained an unfaltering tempo to carry the day by three-parts of a length.

The well-backed Dasmyhoss took second ahead of Here For The Craic.

“He’s a nice, straightforward type of horse and he stays well, he should get a bit further than this mile and a half,” remarked Elliott.

“He’ll get a couple of entries in Galway where we’ll consider the amateur rider’s handicap on the opening night. It won’t be long before he goes hurdling either.”

Falcon Eight (11/2), a half-brother to such Rosewell House luminaries as Free Eagle and Sapphire, made a winning start to his career in the Hanlon Concrete Maiden.

The Moyglare Stud-owned son of Galileo turned in a nice effort when he became fully attuned to what was required of him and he finished off strongly over the last furlong to score by two and a quarter lengths.

“He’s a late-maturing horse who has taken time to develop but he’s come forward well in the last few weeks,” remarked Dermot Weld.

“He’s never been on a racecourse before and I think whatever he does this year will be a bonus. He’s a colt with long-term potential.”

Wand’s woe

AIDAN O’Brien reported that Magic Wand had some nasal discharge following her run in the Darley Irish Oaks.

ACTING STEWARDS

N.B. Wachman, T. Hunt, J.O. Onions, P.N. Reynolds, P.D. Matthews

HORSE TO FOLLOW

THIRD WORLD (D.K. Weld): This Dansili colt got his career off to a promising start with a fourth-place finish in the maiden won by Guaranteed and there should be a good deal more to come from him when he turns out again in the coming weeks.