Kerrygold Irish Oaks
Grade 1, Curragh 17:10
€400,000 added,
3yo fillies,
1m 4f, Class 1   
Saturday 20th July 2019

Trainers Quotes

1 Star Catcher 7/2
2 Fleeting 9/2
3 Pink Dogwood 5/2F
8 ran NR: Antonia De Vega, Operatic Export
Distances: ½l, 4½l, ¾l Time: 2m 34.49s (slow by 3.99s)

Supplemented for 40,000 euros at the confirmation stage by owner Anthony Oppenheimer, the John Gosden-trained Star Catcher was allowed her own way in front.

Jockey Frankie Dettori was able to dictate the pace virtually from the outset on the Ribblesdale Stakes winner, from Peach Tree and Manuela De Vega.

Quickening three furlongs out, Star Catcher (7-2) held a healthy advantage until the Aidan O’Brien-trained Fleeting put in a strong late effort. 

However, Star Catcher pulled out more to win by a half a length, confirming the Royal Ascot form. Pink Dogwood, also from the O’Brien stable, was four and a half lengths back in third.

Gosden, who won the Investec Oaks at Epsom with Anapurna, said: “When I suggested supplementing her to Mr Oppenheimer he was very brave and said, ‘go for it if you think it’s right’, so he gave me full support.

“I think Frankie was aware his filly showed her best in the last furlong of the Ribblesdale and he was determined not to see a falsely-run race.

“He’s gone out there, set his own fractions, and quickened off the bend. With a tailwind in the straight, but a headwind in front all the way down the back.

“That’s Frankie, you leave him alone when he has a plan and he can go to Plan B usually quite quickly.

“He has the courage to do that, which comes from years of experience and having a clock in your head.

“He rode a quite beautiful race and confirmed the Ribblesdale form (with Fleeting).

“She’s a lovely filly and she’s really done well since Royal Ascot. It just seemed an obvious thing to come here. This is a Classic, it’s a Group One and it’s the Irish Oaks.

“They do close these races too soon in my opinion, which is why I never have entries in them and I always end up having to supplement if I have something good enough. 

“It’s no fluke and we’ve always liked this filly. I couldn’t believe it when she was beaten first time out at Chelmsford.

“We probably didn’t go strong enough in the mile-and-a-quarter Listed and she got collared.”

When asked if the Yorkshire Oaks was possible, Gosden said: “There is Coronet, Lah Ti Dar, Anapurna and maybe even Enable.

“She’s a fabulous filly and she’s won a Classic, that’s all it’s about.

“She’s out of a good mare and is by Sea The Stars, who to me is a phenomenally good stallion.

“This is a mile-and-a-half filly. Maybe later in the year the Prix Royallieu or Prix Vermeille could be options.”

Gosden heaped further praise on Dettori.

“We’ve been lucky to have him,” said the Newmarket handler.

“He’d be the first to tell you that he went through some difficult times, mostly self inflicted but one specifically not.

“He’s a wonderful person to be around. He’s like family with us.

“He’s a gorgeous rider and knows his horses. When he’s with you working them in the morning he nearly wants to train them, so I have to calm him down.”

Dettori said: “The vibes at home were good. John is a great trainer and he had a good feeling about her.

“Unfortunately we had to supplement her, so we put our neck on the block a bit, but we knew she was good enough to do justice to herself. It was a good effort.

“Once Seamie (Heffernan) on the obvious front-runner (Peach Tree) couldn’t make the front I thought, ‘I’m going to make my own way home’.

“Then it was a matter of getting the fractions right and having a tailwind in the straight helps a front-runner and that was the case.

“I felt Fleeting coming to me, but in fairness I could have gone a little bit further. I don’t think she’d have passed me.”

Mathematician Betting

Darley Irish Oaks (Group 1)
€400,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 4f
8 ran
Going: Good, Good to Firm in places

POS (DRAW) DIST HORSE TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (3)     Star Catcher John Gosden Frankie Dettori 7/2
2 (8) ½ Fleeting A P O'Brien Donnacha O'Brien 9/2
3 (4) 4½ Pink Dogwood A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 5/2F
4 (5) ¾ Search For A Song D K Weld Chris Hayes 14/1
5 (2) 1½ Manuela De Vega 3 Ralph Beckett Harry Bentley 7/1
6 (6) 2½ Peach Tree A P O'Brien Seamie Heffernan 20/1
7 (10) 2 Iridessa Joseph Patrick O'Brien Wayne Lordan 4/1
8 (7) 2¾ Trethias Mrs John Harrington Shane Foley 12/1
1 NR 118-1 Antonia De Vega 3 Ralph Beckett NON RUNNER
5 NR 1-0857 Operatic Export J S Bolger NON RUNNER

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Previous Years
2018 Sea of Class 3 9-0 James Doyle 11/4 (William Haggas) (Drawn 7)
2017 Enable 3 9-0 L Dettori 2/5Fav (John Gosden) (Drawn 6)
2016 Seventh Heaven 3 9-0 J A Heffernan 14/1 (A P O'Brien) (Drawn 9)
2015 Covert Love 3 9-0 P J Smullen 7/1 (Hugo Palmer) (Drawn 8)
2014 Bracelet 3 9-0 C O'Donoghue 10/1 (A P O'Brien) (Drawn 3)
2013 Chicquita 3 9-0 J P Murtagh 9/2 (A de Royer-Dupre) (Drawn 1)
2012 Great Heavens 3 9-0 W Buick 5/4Fav (John Gosden) (Drawn 1)
2011 Blue Bunting 3 9-0 L Dettori 5/2 (M Al Zarooni) (Drawn 3)
2010 Snow Fairy 3 9-0 R L Moore 7/2 (Ed Dunlop) (Drawn 9)
2009 Sariska 3 9-0 J P Spencer 1/1Fav (Michael Bell) (Drawn 3)
2008 Moonstone 3 9-0 J P Murtagh 2/1Fav (A P O'Brien) (Drawn 10)
2007 Peeping Fawn 3 9-0 J P Murtagh 3/1 (A P O'Brien) (Drawn 4)
2006 Alexandrova 3 9-0 K Fallon 8/15Fav (A P O'Brien) (Drawn 2)
2005 Shawanda 3 9-0 C Soumillon 9/2 (A de Royer-Dupre) (Drawn 7)
2004 Ouija Board 3 9-0 K Fallon 4/7Fav (Ed Dunlop) (Drawn 4)
2003 Vintage Tipple 3 9-0 L Dettori 12/1 (P Mullins) (Drawn 8)
2002 Margarula 3 9-0 K J Manning 33/1 (J S Bolger) (Drawn 12)
2001 Lailani 3 9-0 L Dettori 5/1 (Ed Dunlop) (Drawn 1)
2000 Petrushka 3 9-0 J P Murtagh 11/2 (Sir Michael Stoute) (Drawn 10)
1999 Ramruma 3 9-0 K Fallon 4/9Fav (Sir H R A Cecil) (Drawn 1)

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