Johnny Murtagh is happy to let Subsonic take her chance in Saturday’s Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh.
The daughter of Lope De Vega finished second to the Classic favourite Minnie Hauk on her only start at two before disappointing on her return in a Naas maiden at April. However with only nine in the weekend showpiece, and six of those trained by O’Brien, the handler feels it’s worth chancing their arm.
“We thought she was our best two-year-old filly last year and she ran very well first time out, finishing second to Minnie Hauk and I entered her in the Oaks back then,” he told Wednesday's Nick Luck Daily Podcast.
“I was telling the owner all year we’ve an Oaks filly, we’ve an Oaks filly, but preparations didn’t go very well in the spring, maybe I was rushing her a bit to get her to run, I wanted to give her a run and get to an Oaks trial before the Oaks but it didn’t happen.
“I just had a feeling the set-up of the Oaks might cut up, she was in it, the owner was keen to give it a go and the filly is back working well, seems in good form. We’ll be dropping her in and seeing if we can pick up the pieces but she’s a good filly in her own right and I think she’s improving at a good time of the year.”
And Murtagh is taking inspiration from No Half Measures' 66/1 success in the July Cup last week.
“Outside the favourite, who looks a very good filly, the rest of them are kind of similar and if you don’t run here you’re running in a maiden around Ireland with 18 runners. It’s a starting place for her for the second half of the season but she’s a filly we’ve always thought a lot of," he continued.
“We think she has plenty of talent, will stay a mile and a half really well and with all the rain around that will help too. We’re rolling the dice but after watching Hughesy over the weekend, he’s given everyone a bit of hope. If you’re not in, you can’t win.”
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