Doyle shows his Class as Oaks goes over the Sea
Jockey’s treble includes Curragh feature
SEA OF CLASS lived up to her name as she claimed the Irish Oaks at the Curragh after a blistering late charge by jockey James Doyle. The daughter of Sea The Stars, a third Classic winner for Newmarket trainer William Haggas, beat Aidan O’Brien’s Forever Together, the winner of the Oaks at Epsom, by a neck. It formed part of a splendid treble by Doyle in the three Group races at the Kildare track.
Haggas had deliberately avoided that English race with Sea of Class last month believing his filly, who had won two Listed races at Newbury, needed more time to mature. After yesterday’s Classic, Sea Of Class received a quote of 25-1 for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Settled at the back of the field, she passed all of her six rivals in the straight and won without recourse to the whip and with more in hand than the winning margin suggests.
O’Brien’s three in the race, all in the Michael Tabor colours, had finished first, third and fourth in the race but Bye Bye Baby effectively making the pace for Epsom winner Forever Together only the latter had a chance and she could not hold off the winner. The 10-11 favourite Magic Wand was only fifth
Doyle said: ‘It’s unbelievable. I was looking forward to riding her since this was the target. It was only her fourth race. Some that ran today had plenty of experience. She was the one coming in unproven. She’s shown today what she can do and it was just a joy to be part of.’
Haggas admitted that he did raise an eyebrow when he saw how the race unfolded, despite encouraging Doyle to be bold.
‘I did ask him to be brave, but I didn’t think he’d be that brave!” said Haggas. ‘He took it up fairly close home, but he said she was on her game today. It’s a big race for us, we don’t come here very often. This is a very good filly and we know she’s a good filly, so you want it all to go right and it’s come right.
‘This was the number one priority. Obviously we have all the olderhorse races now, like the Yorkshire Oaks, and obviously we have to make a plan. She’s not in the Arc, but we can put her in, no problem. I do think she is better on top of the ground.’
Doyle also took the plaudits on Marie’s Diamond and Larchmont Lad.
Mark Johnston’s Marie’s Diamond (7-2) went one better in the Group Three Jebel Ali Racecourse And Stables Anglesey Stakes after finishing second in the Group Two Railway Stakes on this course three weeks ago.
‘The race panned out beautifully, how I kind of thought it would,’ said Doyle. ‘I got a nice tow into it so we didn’t have to do all the donkey work.
‘He’s going to get further than this. Seven and a mile will be well within his compass. He’s been pretty tough and progressive this season, so he’s one to look forward to.’
Marie’s Diamond is owned by Middleham Park Racing, who also saw their colours carried to success by Ice Cold In Alex (9-2), trained by Ken Condon, in the Extra.ie Handicap.
Larchmont Lad (4-1) beat So Beloved to give trainer David O’Meara a one-two in the Group Two in the Friarstown Stud Minstrel Stakes. ‘We were hopeful that both horses had a great chance coming over,’ said O’Meara. The North Yorkshire trainer was also on target with Intisaab (8-1) in the Tote Scurry Handicap under Danny Tudhope.
Meanwhile, on a day when the Irish Oaks went to England, Willie Mullins was scooping a valuable handicap at Newbury. Stratum reaped the benefit of a fine effort at Royal Ascot when an emphatic winner of the JLT Cup with £62,250 the first prize.
Third behind his Mullins-trained stablemate Lagostovegas in the Ascot Stakes on his second start after a long absence, the five-year-old justified strong market support in the inaugural running of this extended two-mile handicap.
Robert Winston weaved his way through the field on the 11-4 favourite to win cosily, continuing the fine run of his owner, Brighton chairman Tony Bloom, successful with Withhold in the Northumberland Plate.
‘Everything went to plan and he settled well today. He had a hood on and had a grackle bit on. He had a much faster pace today and got into a lovely rhythm. It was just a matter of when I was going to get a gap in the straight,’ said Winston.