Bunting and Dettori grab Oaks honours

Frankie Dettori snatched a last-gasp victory on Blue Bunting in the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh.

The Newmarket 1000 Guineas winner came with a late surge to mug Banimpire on the line and take the fillies’ Classic for Godolphin and trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni.

Only fourth in the Investec Oaks at Epsom, Blue Bunting (5-2) justified strong support to turn around Epsom form.

Wonder Of Wonders, the 5-4 favourite, and Laughing Lashes were just behind Banimpire (8-1) in third and fourth.

Dettori said: "That was great. Epsom was a bit of a mess up but she came here with every chance. I got myself a bit stuck two out. She wasn’t going forward for me, so as a last resort I decided to switch her to the outside and that won me the race because once she has found a bit of daylight, she went forward.

“When I was stuck behind other horses I was really struggling. The pace was solid. All the four good ones we were all together turning for home and the best filly won – mine. she was the only one who came home.

“I didn’t know I had won until I passed the line. I had to ask Kevin (Manning on Banimpire). I don’t ride here very often and he told me I had won. I knew I came into the race with a great chance.

“The natural step would be the Yorkshire Oaks, but Sheikh Mohammed will probably sit down and he might have some other plans. That seems the obvious route, but who knows? The Curragh has been very lucky for me.”

A trio of outsiders - Amazing Beauty, Hurricane Havoc and Rumh - set the pace with a healthy gap back to Dancing Rain, who headed the chasing pack.

Rumh, carrying the Godolphin second colours, took it up turning for home but the major fancies closed in as the race hotted up.

Dancing Rain never looked like adding to her Epsom success and she could not mount a serious challenge in what developed into a wide-open contest.

Several were in with a chance in the final two furlongs and it looked like Banimpire might just follow up her Ribblesdale Stakes success for trainer Jim Bolger and jockey Kevin Manning.

However, the Royal Ascot winner had no answer to Blue Bunting’s late thrust that saw her grab victory by a short head as Dettori made amends in style for losing third place at Epsom, where he was easy on his filly in the dying strides and picked up a lengthy suspension.