Paradise gained as Emmet McNamara reaps benefits of these strange times 

Last weekend, three of the five Group 1 races on offer across Europe landed on these shores courtesy of Aidan O’Brien’s Oaks and Derby double, with the flawless Love and surprising Serpentine, and Donnacha O’Brien’s Fancy Blue in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly on Sunday.

Mind you, had Love failed to leave the stalls, Aidan still would have been victorious with Ennistymon, and had Fancy Blue failed to board the plane last Sunday for Paris, Jessica Harrington would have won with Alpine Star. And had she fallen rounding Chantilly’s home bend, Aidan would have won with Peaceful, such is the dominance of the Irish three-year-old fillies right now.