Sweet smell of success for Oxx

JOHN OXX continued his excellent start to the new season when winning the listed Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan with Roses For The Lady and completing a double at Gowran Park yesterday.

Off the track since chasing home Sariska in the Darley Irish Oaks last July, Roses For The Lady was sent off 6/4 favourite to make a successful start to her four-year-old season and, opposed in the market by British raider Merchant Of Dubai, set out to make all under new stable-jockey Fran Berry.

Pressed all the way by the Robert Winston-ridden second favourite, Roses For The Lady set a strong pace and, to her credit, kept finding plenty in the closing stages to score by three lengths.