Frankie swoops to conquer in Oaks
The winner appeared to be going nowhere for most of the straight, but Dettori switched Blue Bunting wide, in a last desperate attempt to force her to hit top gear, and she fairly flew to nail Banimpire in the final stride.
Two furlongs down Banimpire and Wonder Of Wonders emerged as the principals. Then, for a few strides, it was Laughing Lashes who ranged up as real possibility.
All of the time Dettori was rowing away, with little response. But if one thing doesn’ t work then something else just might and Dettori made his manoeuvre.
It was a stroke of genius and testament to a man whose talents have long lit up the racing scene.
Gradually Blue Bunting got there, just as the line dawned, to short head a gallant Banimpire, with Wonder Of Wonders just half a length away in third and Laughing Lashes close behind in fourth.
Said Dettori: “If I’d stayed where I was we would have finished fifth! Everything went wrong at Epsom, but we have made up for it today.
“She was very lazy and I thought might run out of time. She surprised me with the turn of foot she found.”
It was a first Irish classic success for trainer, Mahmood Al Zarooni, and a first in the race for Godolphin.
Said Zarooni: “That was a brilliant ride by Frankie. I am very happy for the whole team and there are no plans for her yet.
“Maybe, she will go for the Yorkshire Oaks. I wasn’t confident, there were so many good fillies in the race.’’
Godolphin racing manager, Simon Crisford, said: “She is now the winner of the English 1000 Guineas the Irish Oaks and that’s great.
“She handled the ground well enough and that’s a fine trip for her. It is the first time we have won the Darley sponsored Oaks and that is very appropriate.”
Indeed, Blue Bunting was the first horse in 40 years, since Altesse Royale, to complete the English 1000 Guineas-Irish Oaks double.
Banimpire ran a terrific race, has been on the go all season and is a credit to Jim Bolger. Said Bolger: “It was very close and the ground, possibly, didn’t help, but she’s run a good race.”
Wonder Of Wonders too emerged with credit, but simply couldn’t quicken when the need was greatest, while Laughing Lashes was a bit unlucky. Her rider, Fran Berry, lost his whip with over a furlong to go.
Aidan O’Brien’s newcomer Apollo, a son of Galileo, went off a heavily-backed favourite for the Darley EBF Maiden and did the business with the minimum of fuss.
He was always racing upsides market rival, Newbury Hall, and was far too good for his opponent from over a furlong down.
Said O’Brien: “He is a beautiful moving horse and we were a little worried about the ground. I don’t know where he will head next, we just wanted to get him started, but he can go for all of those stakes races!”
Boylesports gave Apollo a 33-1 quote for the Epsom Derby.
David Wachman’s Fire Lily confirmed she is a really promising sort in the making with a smooth success in the Group 3 Jebel Ali Stables And Racecourse Anglesey Stakes.
She moved nicely through the contest and picked up in style for Wayne Lordan from the furlong pole to ease two and a half lengths clear of After.
Commented Wachman: “We always thought she was pretty smart, but were worried about the ground.
“She ran well in the Queen Mary (Royal Ascot), but got a little outpaced and then came home strongly. The extra trip here was no harm to her and she is in everything.”
Ride of the day had to go to in-form Niall McCullagh, who was positively brilliant aboard Manieree in the Group 3 Kilboy Estate Stakes.
McCullagh stole a big lead soon after the start and the daughter of Medicean refused to give it back, beating her fast-finishing stable companion, Kirinda, by a length and three parts.
“She wants further and softer ground and her only chance was to make it a real grind”, reported trainer, John Oxx. “Making the running was a risk we had to take. She is a good filly, but hasn’t had her conditions at all this season.”
Martha Pisarek, from Poland and having her first winner, gave the Ted Walsh trained Paramount a delightful drive to take the Thalgo Ladies Derby.
While others were making far too much use of their mounts, she arrived from off the pace to coast to the front inside the furlong pole.
Said Walsh: “She is with me four or five years. Martha has a degree in horticulture and came to the door looking for a job as a gardener. I had no need of a gardener, but gave her a job in the yard.”
Pat Smullen drove Dermot Weld’s Late Day Sun past the flattering Cheers Buddy with less than a furlong to run, in the Fleetwood Paints Handicap, and then had enough in reserve to hold the late rush of Puzzled.
Said Weld: “She was working very nicely and I thought she’d win. It’s unlikely she will go to Galway.”
The stewards weren’t happy with Fran Berry’s use of the whip - he partnered Puzzled - and was suspended for three days
Smullen completed a double when Allegra Tak came up the centre of the track to record a clear-cut victory in the Irsh Times EBF Fillies Handicap.
Fran Berry, out of luck on Laughing Lashes in the Oaks and Puzzled, had a measure of compensation when driving English challenger Captain Carey, trained by Malcolm Saunders, to a short head defeat of Cheviot in the valuable Brady’s Mercedes Benz Rockingham over five furlongs.
