RACING: Margarula sprang a 33 to 1 shock in yesterday's Darley Irish Oaks to hand the former champion trainer Jim Bolger a rare day-pass out of the classic wilderness. Brian O'Connor reports from the Curragh
It's 10 years since St Jovite lifted the Derby crown and 19 years back to when Give Thanks picked up the Oaks. However, it was Jet Ski Lady's 50 to 1 Epsom Oaks victory in 1991 that most echoed the general stunned response to Margarula's success.
The filly had won just three minor races in her career and her last three form figures read an uninspiring 4-5-8.
Getting beaten at less than centre-stage tracks like Gowran meant an official rating a full 18lb inferior to the odds-on favourite Quarter Moon.
However, the figures counted for nothing. Quarter Moon's stable companions did a first-rate pace-setting job and she swept to the front in the straight.
Everything had gone to plan, except for the presence of Margarula - who had been last early on - sitting right on her tail.
Kevin Manning had been in similar Oaks territory on Arrrikala 10 years ago and could only finish third to User Friendly. This time Bolger's son-in-law made no mistake.
Quarter Moon was destined to finish runner-up in her third classic as Margarula shocked the 8,145 crowd with a length victory.
Among the first to congratulate Bolger was Aidan O'Brien, who worked for the Carlow-based trainer before he began his domination of Europe's classic scene.
It was a memorable family occasion all round as the winner races in the colours of Bolger's wife, Jackie.
"She doesn't muck her out but she does pay the bills. I muck her out!" said Bolger, who promptly announced he was off to Portlaoise to watch Wexford play Clare in the hurling play-offs.
He added: "We felt she had a chance after she was fourth in the Pretty Polly, which was over 10 furlongs. She has been improving all the time and Kevin gave her a peach of a ride all the way round.
"Kevin had been unlucky on one of ours in this race some years ago but we decided to ride her the same way and it has worked out."
The 33,000 gns purchase was the longest priced Oaks winner since the war and the longest-priced winner of an Irish classic since Northern Treasure won the 1976 2,000 Guineas at the same unlikely odds.
"She travelled really well the whole way and the extra two furlongs were a big help," said Manning, who was enjoying his biggest success.
Margarula will travel to Britain next for the Yorkshire Oaks and a clash with the Epsom heroine Kazzia.
If O'Brien looked less than distraught after the big race it probably had a lot to do with the relief he felt after Van Nistelrooy's winning debut earlier in the day.
The $6.4 million purchase started odds-on and raced through nicely for a half-a-length success that hinted the huge price tag might in time look reasonable.
"When they get to the start it's a big relief," admitted O'Brien, who could aim the Storm Cat colt at the Tyros Stakes.
"He very nearly didn't run because of the ground but he needed the experience. He was very green but Mick (Kinane) taught him a lot," he added.
The top young British rider Keith Dalgleish made his first Curragh ride a winning one on Gateman in the Minstrel Stakes.
Awake added to the British success with a head defeat of Osterhase in the Rockingham Handicap; and Carline Cashman won the Ladies Derby for Dermot Weld on the Galway-bound Direct Bearing.
Yesterday's Curragh crowd was down 2,000 on last year, apparently due to the Dublin-Kildare game and the Athy Show.
