RACING:JOHNNY MURTAGH, the most successful Darley Irish Oaks jockey of modern times, is hoping Dancing Rain can become the third filly in a row to complete the Epsom-Curragh double this Sunday.
The British raiders Sariska (2009) and Snow Fairy last year pulled off the Classic double, and Dancing Rain will again have Murtagh on her back at the Curragh this weekend when she will take on a maximum of 13 opponents.
They are set to include the heavily-backed favourite Wonder Of Wonders and Aidan O’Brien’s four-time Group One winner Misty For Me, as well as Godolphin’s English 1,000 Guineas winner Blue Bunting.
After 14 were left in the €425,000 Classic at yesterday’s forfeit stage, bookmaker reaction was to make Wonder Of Wonders a heavy favourite to reverse her three-quarter-length Epsom defeat by Dancing Rain.
But the William Haggas-trained star has the big plus of having Murtagh on her back again after having been supplemented into Sunday’s race at a cost of €42,500.
Murtagh is on the “unlucky 13” mark in terms of Irish Classic victories, and a remarkable five of those have come in the Oaks. Ebadiyla (1997) and Winona (1998), as well as Peeping Fawn (2007) and Moonstone (2008), recorded back-to-back victories for the season’s leading rider while Petrushka also won for him in 2000.
Murtagh is riding in an international jockeys’ challenge at the Veliefendi track in Istanbul today, but is looking forward to trying to break O’Brien’s domination of the Irish Classics in 2011.
“Johnny hasn’t ridden the filly since Epsom but he has won on her and knows her. He’s looking forward to riding her again,” his agent, Eddie Byrne, confirmed yesterday.
“William Haggas seems to be happy with her and she’s in good nick.”
The other supplementary entry into the Oaks is Godolphin’s second-string Rumh, who failed to spark in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot won by Banimpire. She could join Blue Bunting, who cost Frankie Dettori a ban when he failed to ride out for third place at Epsom.
Once again, though, an Irish Classic sees a hugely-powerful team from Ballydoyle, with Wonder Of Wonders and Misty For Me part of a six-strong entry left in the race.
O’Brien, who completed a hat-trick of Irish Oaks victories begun with Alexandrova in 2006, has already won the first three Classics of the year in Ireland and is on course to repeat his 2008 clean-sweep of this country’s Classic races.
It is 28 eight years since Jim Bolger first won the Oaks with Give Thanks, but the prolific Banimpire is on course to try to emulate both her and Margarula, who sprang a 33 to 1 shocker in 2002.
Jessica Harrington will be represented by Laughing Lashes, while the Coolmore team could be joined by David Wachman’s Pretty Polly third Chrysanthemum.
Ground conditions at the Curragh were “good” yesterday and the authorities at headquarters had no immediate plans to water with an unsettled forecast for later in the week.
Jim Bolger’s impressive maiden winner Zip Top is among 15 entries left in the Group Three Anglesey Stakes for juveniles in which Jeremy Noseda has left in his July Stakes runner-up Roman Soldier.
Sunday’s other Group Three event is the Kilboy Estate Stakes in which Chrysanthemum also holds an entry.
Dermot Weld has left his high-class filly Emulous in this race as well as Saturday’s Minstrel Stakes, while Pat Fahy could give Ballybacka Lady a return to action in the nine-furlong event.
PADDY POWER BET:evens Wonder Of Wonders, 9-2 Blue Bunting, Misty For Me and Dancing Rain, 7 Banimpire, 12 Laughing Lashes, 16 Chrysanthemum, 33 Bar.
Captain Cee Bee may have hurdle prep
CAPTAIN CEE Bee’s big summer target will be to attempt to win the Tote Galway Plate in a couple of weeks, but trainer Eddie Harty hasn’t ruled out a prep run over hurdles for his former Cheltenham festival hero at Tipperary this Sunday, writes Brian O’Connor.
The JP McManus-owned star is among 15 entries left in the Kevin McManus Grimes Hurdle and Harty is considering taking in the Grade Three prize.
“It’s just a tentative entry at this stage,” Harty said.
“It’s a good race and we thought wed have a look at it as we might be kicking ourselves if we hadn’t entered him. He’s in great form.
“He had a nice break after Punchestown, but we brought him back in a little while ago with the Plate in mind,” he added yesterday.
Captain Cee Bee is a 14 to 1 shot for the Plate.