Irish Oaks Preview: Even Song a worthy favourite

As John Ingles recounts in this week's Blast from the Past feature, Petrushka’s emphatic win in the 2000 Irish Oaks was the third of Johnny Murtagh’s six wins in the race. Though that particular success was for Sir Michael Stoute, four of Murtagh’s victories came for Irish trainers, including two for Aidan O’Brien. As you’d expect, given the fact that he has won three of the four Group 1 races for fillies in Britain so far this season, O’Brien once again dominates the betting for Saturday’s renewal of the mile and a half Group 1 contest thanks to the presence of Even Song.

A tall filly, Even Song has improved with each of her four starts to date. She is a half-sister to the St Leger winner Simple Verse (by Duke of Marmalade) and shaped well when winning the 14-runner Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot last time by one and a half lengths from Ajman Princess, quickening to lead over 1f out and looking in control thereafter. She showed the best turn of foot in a steadily-run race on that occasion, one in which her superiority may well have been masked, and is sure to progress further. She is 3 lb clear on ratings, and is hard to oppose for win purposes.

Even Song looks set to be joined by a host of stablemates, including Pretty Perfect, who shaped as if amiss when ninth of 10 in the Irish 1000 Guineas, but bounced back to form, stepped up in trip, when winning the Munster Oaks at Cork last time by four lengths from Shamreen, making all and staying on strongly. Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Seventh Heaven was sixth in the main event at Epsom and remains with potential, especially now back on a more conventional course. Oaks fourth Somehow was ridden too aggressively there and also remains capable of better; she tries cheekpieces for the first time here.

As outlined above, the Ballydoyle challenge is very strong. However, as fans of Jet Setting (Irish 1000 Guineas) will fondly remember, there is still some hope for non Ballydoyle-trained runners in Group 1 races in Ireland, and this race in particular has been a happy hunting ground for British runners over the years. Five of the last seven winners have come from across the Irish Sea, whilst Alain de Royer-Dupre’s 2013 winner Chicquita also had to navigate the English Channel en-route to success at the Curragh.

Hugo Palmer won the race last year with Covert Love and will attempt to repeat the feat with Architecture, who is second on the ratings behind Even Song. Architecture was second in the Oaks at Epsom (one and three quarter lengths behind Minding) in June and was then quickly turned out at Royal Ascot. Off just 13 days, she wasn’t quite in the same form when four and three quarter lengths eighth of 14 to Even Song in the Ribblesdale, but has been given plenty of time to recover since and it wouldn't be a surprise should she return to her best here. Stablemate We Are Ninety, sixth in the same race at the Royal meeting, still has something to prove over this trip in a truly-run race, but is not ruled out despite having plenty to find on ratings.

Third on the ratings is John Oxx’s Red Stars. She progressed steadily last year and has taken several steps forward this season, progressing again when winning a listed race at Roscommon last time, getting first run and pulling two and a quarter lengths clear of a subsequent winner in the shape of Chemical Charge. Red Stars is still unexposed and remains with potential, though this requires another big leap forward.

Mick Channon’s Harlequeen was nine and three quarter lengths third to Minding in the Oaks last time, though was no match for the first two. She may prove best at short of this trip, but her dam was a winner over 10f as a juvenile and, as a result, Harlequeen should not be discounted too lightly. The aforementioned Ajman Princess may still be a maiden, having finished second on all four starts to date, but she produced a career-best when second to Even Song last time. She may have been flattered by her proximity to the winner, having been better placed that most, but appeared to excel herself nonetheless and is respected accordingly.

To summarise, though there are some doubts about the strength of the Ribblesdale form which links several of these runners, there are none about the superiority of the winner that day, Even Song. Having a month off between races, rather than a fortnight, may see an improved effort from Architecture, however she might not be able to match the finishing kick of Even Song, who should be very hard to beat.

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Saturday’s card at the Curragh also includes the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes, a five furlongs sprint which was won by Slade Power in 2013. The following race is the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes, a six furlong race for two-year-olds. Aidan O’Brien has won two of the last three renewals and has Peace Envoy entered this time around. Peace Envoy was fourth in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and was a half-length second to Medicine Jack in the Railway Stakes at the Curragh just nine days later. Psychedelic Funk, four and three quarter lengths third to Caravaggio in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, and the exciting prospect Radio Silence, an emphatic winner on debut at Leopardstown just nine days ago, will likely provide very stiff opposition.