O’Donnell can work final magic with Skywalker Queen

THE BIG question mark in advance of Saturday’s Sporting Press Irish Oaks final is whether Skywalker Queen can hit top form at just the right moment to win the bitch classic for the second year on the trot.

It is a feat that has only been accomplished on two occasions. Peaceful Lady, trained by the legendary Tom Lynch, was the first to do it in 1952 and ’53 and Seamus Graham’s Marinas Tina repeated the feat in 2000 and 2001. Matt and Frances O’Donnell conjured a career best performance from the Queen in last year’s final when she covered the 525 yards in 28.24, the then best time ever clocked by a bitch around Shelbourne.

She will wear the striped jacket again on Saturday but has yet to win a race this year. However she has been performing to a near peak level and ran very well when second behind Shelbourne Dawn in last week’s semi after making a real mess of the start. She can go up much faster but, given how wide she runs off the final bend, she will need to do so.