Racegoers are in for a treat this Wednesday as a dozen declarations for the Al Shira’aa Racing Irish EBF Naas Oaks Trial will see the biggest field contest the race since it was first run in 2012, while there will be some international flavour with three-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey John Velazquez also in action at the track.

Wednesday’s feature race has attracted British representation for the first time with Billy Lee booked to ride the Ralph Beckett-trained Seaward who most recently contested the English Oaks at Epsom. 

A number of Wednesday’s big race runners hold entries for next month’s Juddmonte Irish Oaks at The Curragh, including Aidan O’Brien’s three runners, Grateful, Greenfinch and Mother Nature. 

O’Brien has won the last three renewals of the Al Shira’aa Racing Irish EBF Naas Oaks Trial and Ryan Moore is booked to ride Greenfinch. 

Owners Moyglare Stud will also have three runners in the race with the Dermot Weld-trained duo of Elizabeth Jane and Blue Poppy joined by the Ger Lyons-trained Bellezza. 

Champion jockey Colin Keane is booked to ride Bellezza, while Lyons is also represented by the Newtown Anner Stud-owned Madam Celeste, who is among the entries for the Irish Oaks. Lyons won the race back in 2020 with Even So who is the most recent horse to go on to win the Irish Oaks following this trial.

Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen will combine with the Aga Khan-owned Hanalia, while Henry de Bromhead’s Quatrain will look to open her account at the third time of asking under Ronan Whelan. 

Quick reappearance

Recent Gowran Park winner Glor Tire will make a quick reappearance for Jim Bolger and Rory Cleary while the impressive Gowran Classic winner Fleur De Chine is an interesting runner for trainer Jessica Harrington. 

The Kirsten Rausing-owned filly has progressed through the ranks and was an emphatic winner of Gowran Park’s €200,000 feature earlier this month and will step up to listed company in this Naas race.

“Fleur De Chine has come out of Gowran Park very, very well,” reported Kate Harrington, assistant trainer to her mother Jessica. “Overall we have been delighted with her and this Naas race is a step up in class but she was very impressive when winning the Gowran Classic so this was a logical step for her.

“We are hoping she can run another big race and that she can earn some black type.”

With almost 7,000 winners to his name, John Velazquez is a Hall Of Fame jockey in America and the Puerto Rican will team up with Dermot Weld to ride De Janeiro in the Tinnakill House Maiden.