MYSTERY still cloaks the disappointing performance of Henry Cecil's Lady Carla in Sunday's Kildangan Stud Irish Oaks at the Curragh.
Starting the 1 to 2 favourite, she attempted to make all the running under Pat Eddery but was done with by the furlong marker and finished fourth behind Dermot Weld's Dance Design, beaten four and a half lengths.
Yesterday Captain Bulwer-Long was at a loss to explain Lady Carla's demise. "She is due back this evening and I will see her at evening stables at 5p.m." he said. "But all the reports from Ireland before she left were that she is fine.
"We don't really know why she ran disappointingly, but it could have been the ground - this was her third race on fast ground."
Her next target, provided she is given the all-clear after her run yesterday will be the Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks at York on August 21st.
Montjoy duly clinched his first Group race victory in Britain to leave his owner, Sir George Meyrick, a relieved man at Ayr yesterday. Paul Cole's colt landed the spoils by a neck in the Group Three Tennent Caledonian Breweries Scottish Classic after Richard Quinn pulled out all the stops to force Montjoy into the lead near the line.
Pentire has hardened to 3 to favourite with Coral for Ascot's King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes a week on Saturday after Kildangan Stud Irish Oaks flop Lady Carla was removed from the firm's ante-post list. Kevin Prendergast's Oscar Schindler is quoted at 12 to 1.
