Qualify springs dramatic 50-1 Oaks victory at Epsom

It is four years since Colm O’Donoghue lost an Epsom Derby photo-finish on an Aidan O’Brien outsider, but the jockey was on the right side of a dramatic Oaks finish when the 50-1 Qualify emerged a shock classic winner.

O'Donoghue, 34, produced Qualify to edge out the David Wachman trained 5-2 favourite Legatissimo by a short head and provide O'Brien, who also bred the winner, with a fifth Oaks victory.

Irony in victory

There was irony in a Coolmore Stud-owned favourite getting beaten by an O’Brien trained outsider, but even if he was wearing the unfamiliar colours of Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez, who bought the filly prior to last year’s Breeders’ Cup, there was no diluting O’Donoghue’s satisfaction after a maiden British classic success.

The 34-year-old is a stalwart member of O’Brien’s Ballydoyle team and previously enjoyed classic success on board Astronomer Royal in the 2007 French Guineas and Bracelet in last year’s Irish Oaks, as well as a 2011 Irish Derby win on Treasure Beach.

It was that colt who just weeks beforehand had come within a head of Epsom Derby glory when denied in the final stride by Pour Moi, ironically also owned by Coolmore.

With top-flight victories to his name in Canada and the US, O’Donoghue has a proven big-race record, but competition for rides in Ireland since he returned from a stint riding in Hong Kong has meant he has had a single winner from just 16 rides during the current season.

Cool character

After landing the longest-priced Oaks winner in almost quarter of century – the last 50-1 scorer was Jim Bolger’s Jet Ski Lady in 1991 – O’Donoghue was characteristically cool: “I’m not surprised. She’s always shown a lot of pace. I just wanted to keep her on an even keel and she came home strong.”