Ratings Update from Timeform | Best performances from Irish Oaks weekend at the Curragh

Another Oaks win for Joseph O'Brien

A quieter weekend to reflect on, with the sole Group 1 at the Curragh – the Juddmonte Irish Oaks – won by a Joseph O'Brien-trained filly, though with Thundering On absent (off-feed, rather than off-put by the fast ground) it was left to stablemate Johanna Walsh (up to 117) to take a step forward into the limelight.

She has looked an entirely different proposition since going up in trip and encountering ground firmer than good, and appears one who may well show herself to be very smart before the season is out.

Where she goes now will presumably hinge to some extent on Thundering On, O'Brien likely to want to keep his Oaks winners apart. The Yorkshire Oaks looks an obvious next port of call for Johanna Walsh, but with the Breeders Cup due to take place at Keeneland this year it remains to be seen whether connections would be tempted to drop her back to 9.5f for the Filly and Mare Turf.

Runner-up Inis Mor (up to 110) ran at least as well as when finishing third in the Prix de Diane, seeing out the nearly two-furlong-longer trip well and a bit unlucky not to get closer to the winner, while Sparan Nua (up 6 lb to 108) lost her unbeaten record in third but emerges with her reputation enhanced, going through the race with much more fluency than previously and sure to have finished closer granted a clearer passage.

Celeron and Porto Vecchio the stand-out two-year-olds on show

Elsewhere on the card, the Simon & Ed Crisford-trained Cover Up (up to 118) proved at least as good as ever as he doubled his tally for the season in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes, the return to five furlongs away from Group 1 company probably the key, a sound gallop to aim at no hinderance, too.

The Railway Stakes saw Confucius (102) suffer another costly defeat, as he could only muster third behind Celeron (up to 105p) and Tribeca (now 94). Well down the field in the Windsor Castle, the Michael O'Callaghan-trained winner clearly hadn't done himself justice at Ascot and, given more of a break between races, showed much improved form to get back to winning ways; a step up to seven furlongs is likely to bring out some more improvement (has an entry in the Futurity and National Stakes as well as the Phoenix over shorter).

Perhaps the most impressive two-year-old performance of the weekend came from Porto Vecchio (89p). A full-brother to the yard's 1000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs, he overcame inexperience to make a winning start, taking the eye with how he went through the race and quickly in control when asked to go about his business. The National Stakes looks suitable and is the objective according to his trainer Dermot Weld.

Lack of penalty aids Power Blue's cause

Sunday's card saw Power Blue bounce back in the Group 2 Minstrel Stakes. Unpenalised for his Group 1 success at two, he found it easier taking on older horses and being away from such exalted company for the first time since chasing home Thesecretadversary (winner at that level since) on his return. He holds Group 1 entries from 6f to 1¼m, the City of York looking his likely next target, though he'd likely need to improve plenty to have a major say in it.

Trustyourinstinct (now 116) did well under the circumstances in overcoming a pace bias in the Curragh Cup, showing a fine turn of foot once in the clear upped in trip and value for extra, paying a compliment to Purview who's beaten him twice this season. He won this through speed but he's clearly a player in the Irish St Leger.

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