STATISTICS SUGGEST Was could have a better than evens chance of completing an English-Irish Oaks double at the Curragh on Sunday but bookmakers reckon the odds favour both Dermot Weld’s Princess Highway and the English filly Great Heavens in this weekend’s Classic feature.
Was heads a team of half-a-dozen Aidan O’Brien-trained fillies among the 11-strong entry for the €400,000 Darley Irish Oaks after yesterday’s forfeit stage at which there were a pair of €40,0000 supplementary entries.
As expected, John Gosden’s impressive Lancashire Oaks winner Great Heavens was added to the race but Co Meath-based trainer Eddie Lynam has also put in last week’s Leopardstown maiden scorer, Colliding Worlds.
The daughter of High Chaparral is the sole horse trained by Lynam for Jimmy Long’s Thistle Bloodstock operation and the owner is keen to make the huge leap to Classic level.
“She won nicely last week in maiden company. It’s a big step up in class for her, but her owner is keen for her to take her chance,” said Lynam yesterday. “He has all the family and if we’re not in we can’t win so we have supplemented her.”
Lynam added: “She’s a filly I think will be better as a four-year-old. It’s a huge ask for her, but she’s proven on soft ground and her owner Jimmy Long is a great supporter of Irish racing. He’s very keen she has a go and we’ve nothing to lose.”
Colliding Worlds was installed a 16 to 1 outsider by some firms yesterday but Was sprang a 20 to 1 surprise at Epsom last month and will attempt to secure her trainer a fourth Irish Oaks victory.
The home team will hope to put an end to cross-channel dominance in the fourth Classic of the season, with Blue Bunting last year proving to be the third British-based winner in a row.
This time Hughie Morrison has left in his Epsom runner-up Shirocco Star who afterwards ran third to Princess Highway in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot.
However, there will be a lot of interest in Great Heavens who will represent the in-form John Gosden-William Buick team and who has been installed a 2 to 1 favourite by Hills.
Jockey Rab Havlin rode Great Heavens to win at Haydock last time and gave an upbeat report on the sister to Nathaniel yesterday.
“Everything that’s been thrown at her she’s taken quite easy in her stride. It’s another step up again at the weekend so hopefully she will do the same again,” he said. “She went a solid gallop at Haydock and felt as though she could have gone round again. She really handles the soft ground well and seems to be improving all the time.”
The going at the Curragh yesterday remained soft to heavy.
Paddy Power have installed Princess Highway, who beat Was in May’s Blue Wind Stakes, as their 2 to 1 favourite with Was and Great Heavens next best.
A pair of other Ballydoyle Oaks entries, Betterbetterbetter and Devotion, are also entered in Sunday’s Group Three Kilboy Estate Stakes over nine furlongs while O’Brien has left open the option of running Cristforo Colombo in the Group Three Jebel Ali Anglesey Stakes.
