RACING: Frances Crowley achieved history when Saoire won the Irish 1,000 Guineas and now her husband, Pat Smullen, has the chance to also carve a unique place for himself in the sport after being confirmed the filly's rider in Sunday's Darley Irish Oaks.
A total of 21 fillies have been left in the Curragh Classic after yesterday's declaration stage and they include three supplementary entries who were put in the race at a cost of €40,000 each.
As expected the Aga Khan's French filly Shawanda was added to the €400,000 feature as was John Oxx's filly Hazariya who also races in the Aga Khan colours.
Right Key from the Kevin Prendergast yard was the third supplementary entry.
Hazariya had not originally been thought of as an Oaks contender but Oxx said yesterday: "There has been a change in plan and she is our intended runner now. Mick Kinane will ride. Behkiyra is unlikely to take part and although there is a little doubt about Allexina and the ground, we hope there will be no jar in it. Fran Berry will ride her."
Kinane rode Saoire to Guineas glory in May and Berry was on board the Crowley-trained filly in the Pretty Polly. However, with both riders claimed, Pat Smullen has been able to step in for the Classic chance since his boss, Dermot Weld, does not have a fancied contender.
A husband and wife combination winning a Classic would be new ground in racing history and Crowley, who became the first woman to officially train a Classic winner in the Guineas, conceded yesterday it would be "fantastic" if Saoire can bring it off.
"I'm delighted Pat is able to ride her. He rode her in the Moyglare last year and rides her in some of her work so he knows her well. I think he is the right sort of jockey for the filly," she said. "Saoire is fine and her preparation has gone well."
As well as Shawanda from France, there are six possible challengers from Britain including the Group One winning juvenile Playful Act who was successful in her sole three-year-old start in the Lancashire Oaks.
Luca Cumani's Dash To Top will try to provide Johnny Murtagh with a fourth win in the Oaks while John Dunlop has both Cassydora and the Ribblesdale winner Thakafaat as he goes in search of the one Irish Classic he has yet to win.
Bookmaker reaction was varied with Shawanda installed a 3 to 1 favourite with Boylesports while Paddy Power plumped for Dash To The Top as their 3 to 1 market leader.
Jim Bolger won the Curragh Oaks with the outsider Margarula three years ago, and also with Give Thanks in 1983, and Pictavia has been made a 5 to 1 shot.
Dash To The Top may not be the only Cumani challenger at the Curragh as the former top Italian horse La Vie Dei Colori features among the 15 entries for the Group Three Minstrel Stakes on the same card.
Among his likely opposition will be the Oxx-trained Caradak who was an impressive Listed winner over the Derby weekend.
"Zarad is also in the race but Caradak is an intended runner. The ground should be ideal for him as he can't have it fast enough," said Oxx yesterday.
Aussie Rules, an impressive Aidan O'Brien trained winner on his debut, is among the entries for the Group Three Anglesey Stakes where the high-class filly Salut D'Amour from Jeremy Noseda's yard in Newmarket also figures.
Dermot Weld's sole entry left in the Oaks is Lazy Marie but this evening's Leopardstown fixture could prove a real benefit for the Curragh trainer with Orpington looking a likely winner of the Listed Challenge Stakes.
Just three oppose the four-year-old and while Virginia Woolf is clearly improving Orpington's second to Mkuzi in the Curragh Cup suggested there might still be more to come from him.
Another four runners line up for the 10-furlong conditions race and while Grand Central looks a likely favourite on ratings, a Sadler's Wells horse may not be entirely at home on the very fast ground. No such concerns exist for Multazem.
Michael Kinane's mount Alethia in the Listed Silver Flash Stakes was runner-up to Aussie Rules at the Curragh and can show here what a hard task she had on that occasion.
Tropical Lady signalled a return to something like her best behind Miss Sally here and will be a threat in the Premier Handicap, while down at Killarney Snowfox looks worth an interest in the first division of the handicap.
IRISH OAKS BETTING: (Paddy Power): 3 Dash To The Top, 7-2 Playful Act 4 Shawanda 5 Pictavia, 10 Cassydora, 12 Hazariya, 14 Chelsea Rose, Mona Lisa, Saoire and Thakafaat.
