Juddmonte Irish Oaks: Horse-by-horse guide and tip

Cairde Go Deo

Sent off as favourite for the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes last September on the back of her maiden win at The Curragh in August, Cairde Go Deo ran well in the Listed Salsabil Stakes on her debut this season, and she stepped up on that next time when she won the Listed Yeats Stakes at Navan by eight lengths.

Ger Lyons’ filly took on the colts last time in the King George V Stakes at Leopardstown, and she beat them, making all the running and keeping on gamely under Colin Keane to repel the late challenge of Boundless Ocean. That form received a nice boost on Thursday evening when Boundless Ocean ran out an impressive winner of the Group 3 Meld Stakes back at Leopardstown.

The Camelot filly is almost certainly going to have to improve again if she is going to win the Irish Oaks, but she is on a nice upward trajectory, and we know that she stays well. Her forward-going style is well suited to The Curragh, and her trainer and rider combined to win the race two years ago with Even So, another daughter of Camelot.

Emily Dickinson

Raced just once last year as a juvenile, Emily Dickinson got off the mark in a 10-furlong maiden at Naas in April, on the back of which she was sent off as favourite for the Lingfield Oaks Trial. It never really happened for her at Lingfield, she came under pressure a fair way out and she could finish only fifth behind Rogue Millennium.

Given a nice break by Aidan O’Brien after that, she proved her Lingfield run to be all wrong when she returned in the Group 3 Stanerra Stakes at Leopardstown nine days ago, and put up a big performance to finish second to the highly-talented Rosscarbery. The winner got first run on her that day, but there was a lot to like about the strength with which Emily Dickinson finished off her race for Saturday’s rider Seamie Heffernan, getting to within a short head of the winner at the line, the first two clear.

Out of the 2013 Irish Oaks winner Chicquita, the Dubawi filly could come on appreciably for that run, her first in two months and, in the absence of one Emily, it could be another Emily that prevails.

Fennela

Unraced as a juvenile, Fennela was well beaten by Emily Dickinson in that 10-furlong maiden at Naas in April, but she progressed from that to finish third in another maiden at The Curragh on Irish Guineas weekend, and she progressed again last time in winning her maiden back at The Curragh.

A half-sister to Epsom Oaks winner Forever Together, and to Fillies’ Mile winner Together Forever, she stays a mile and a half well, she is proven over the course and distance, but she is going to have to progress significantly from her maiden win if she is going to be involved, and it is no surprise that Shane Foley prefers Magical Lagoon.

History

Winner of her maiden at Gowran Park on her third and final run last season, History started off this season with an impressive performance in beating Agartha in the Group 3 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown in early May.

Only seventh in the Irish 1000 Guineas next time, Aidan O’Brien’s filly kept on to finish third in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, beaten over three lengths by Magical Lagoon. She is obviously going to have to improve on that if she is going to reverse placings with Magical Lagoon but, a daughter of Galileo and out of a full-sister to Sussex Stakes winner Mohaather, herself a Grade 2 winner over a mile, she still has time on her side.

Magical Lagoon

Magical Lagoon won the Group 3 Flame Of Tara Stakes over a mile last season as a juvenile, and she belied her weakness in the market before her debut this season when she ran a big race to finish second to Concert Hall in the Listed Salsabil Stakes at Navan in April.

That race worked out well afterwards, with third-placed Cairde Go Deo winning her next two and fourth-placed Tranquil Lady winning the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes next time at Naas.

Magical Lagoon herself stepped up on that run when she stepped up in trip last time to a mile and a half, and landed the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. She had to dig deep that day to repel the challenge of the talented Sea Silk Road, and she did. It appeared that she improved for the step up to a mile and a half, and the pair of them were nicely clear.

That was just Jessica Harrington’s filly’s second run this season, it was her first run back after a short break, and there is every chance that she will step forward again, with her trainer’s horses in tremendous form these days.

Show Of Stars

Winner of her maiden at Dundalk in November, Show Of Stars hasn’t won in four attempts this season to date. Billy Lee is riding out of his skin these days, and you have to respect every horse that trainer Paddy Twomey runs. He doesn’t waste bullets and he doesn’t tend to over-face his horses, as evidenced by strike rates for the last five seasons of, respectively, 25%, 29%, 22%, 30% and a high of a remarkable 36% this season to date.

Paddy Twomey had his first Group 1 winner three weeks ago when he landed the Pretty Polly Stakes with La Petite Coco, but Show Of Stars will probably have to improve by at least a stone on anything that she has done to date if she is going to prevail.

Toy

Toy didn’t make her racecourse debut until late October last year, when she put up a nice performance for a debutante, staying on encouragingly to take second place in a seven-furlong maiden at The Curragh on soft ground.

By Galileo and a sister to dual Guineas winner Gleneagles, Irish Guineas winner Marvellous, French Oaks winner Joan Of Arc and dual Group 1 winner Happily, Toy got off the mark at Cork in April, when she ran out an impressive winner of a seven-furlong maiden on easy ground.

She came up short in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and in the Prix de Diane on her last two runs, so she is obviously going to have to do better than she did in the French Classics if she is going to be involved, but she is regally bred, and she is well regarded at home, and it is significant that Ryan Moore retains faith in her.

Verdict

1st EMILY DICKINSON

2nd Cairde Go Deo

3rd Magical Lagoon

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