Winona breezes home

Winona sprang a 12 to 1 surprise to give John Oxx and John Murtagh their second successive Kildangan Stud Irish Oaks at the Curragh yesterday. Doubts about the Lady Clague-owned filly's ability to stay the mile and a half on the officially yielding going proved groundless as she swept to a seven-length defeat of Kitza, with the 4 to 5 favourite, Bahr, a further length back in third.

"I didn't think she was that good. We weren't sure she would stay the mile and a half but she's clearly better than we thought," smiled Oxx, who won the Oaks with Ebadiyla last year. This was Oxx's fifth Irish classic success, all with fillies.

Winona had never raced beyond a mile before, but after the pace-setting Glorosia settled the tempo coming down the hill, Murtagh had her in position A to attack.

Bahr and Frankie Dettori kicked for home in the straight, but it was an unconvincing kick and a furlong and a half out Winona took it up. Kitza, another pre-race doubtful stayer, plugged on well to be a distant second and Oxx's other representative Beldarian ran on into an honourable fourth.

"We had thought she had been unlucky over a mile but she just didn't have the toe and needed a trip. Once they steadied, there was never a doubt. I got on to Frankie's tail and she really picked up," Murtagh said.

Nevertheless, a seven-length winning margin was remarkable and the Co Meath-born rider exclaimed: "I couldn't hear anything behind me and there was no big screen to have a look!"

Winona will now try and emulate Key Change, who won the Yorkshire Oaks for Kilcullen, Co Kildare-based owner-breeder Lady Clague. "We will keep her to fillies races like that and the Prix Vermeille," Oxx added.

Bahr disappointed her Godolphin connections and blew hard after the race. "It's a bit early to start making excuses, and the winner fairly scooted in, but she hasn't run as well as we expected," said spokesman Simon Crisford. However, Dettori said: "She ran a bit flat and probably deserves a rest."

A rest is the last thing on Murtagh's mind, though, as Winona was the centrepiece of a magnificent 539 to 1 four-timer for the season's leading rider.

Namid broke his duck in impressive style when landing the Group Three Anglesey Stakes from Coralita and will now bid for Group One glory in the Heinz 57 Phoenix Stakes.

"It's the obvious race for him as long as the ground isn't good to firm. He has sharpened up for his first run and is a nice type," said Oxx, while Murtagh commented: "He's still backward but with a winter under his belt, he'll be a really nice three-year-old."

Takariya made a winning debut in the Kennedy Maiden and could end up as the Aga Khan's runner in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.

"She has been showing us a bit at home and it's nice that she won without getting a smack. She's quite like her dam (the Pretty Polly Stakes winner Takarouna) who was quite temperamental and had to have a pony with her down at the start," said Oxx.

Murtagh's red-letter day ended with the veteran Burden Of Proof dominating the Minstrel Stakes from the outset and beating off the slow-starting Centre Stalls by a length. Burden Of Proof is not the best traveller but trainer Charles O'Brien is considering the Group One Prix Maurice Du Gheest at Deauville for the six-year-old he trains for his father Vincent.

Repertory, trained in England by Malcolm Saunders, made virtually all the running for a five-length success in the Rockingham Handicap; while, Vitus, in taking the Ladies Derby, gave Rosario Tiernan her first winner.

Fly To The Stars, the sole British representative in France yesterday, made virtually all the running to win the Group One Prix Messidor over one mile at Deauville.

The Godolphin-trained Fly to the Stars was headed by Jim and Tonic inside the final furlong but Daragh O'Donohoe's mount fought back to score by a head, with Orford Ness finishing a length further back in third.

The ultra-consistent winner, sent off at 2.6-1, was making amends for his gallant defeat by Refuse to Lose under a big weight in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot last month.

Fly to the Stars was paying his second visit to the Normandy track, having finished second there last August.

Niall McCullagh brought his tally to 13 for the season when he recorded a double on Tunisia and Granuale at Limerick on Saturday. Barry Geraghty continued his good run when scoring on Bolton Forest.