A dismal Saturday morning for Joseph O’Brien turned into a winning afternoon as his original big-race second-string Johanna Walsh landed the Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh.
O’Brien’s Epsom heroine Thundering On was widely anticipated to start favourite and become the 17th to complete the Oaks double, only to be scratched on Saturday morning when reported to be off her feed.
It left the trainer with two other runners, and champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle quickly switched to Johnna Walsh, who was narrowly beaten by Earth Shot in Royal Ascot’s Ribblesdale Stakes on her last start.
Colin Keane, originally scheduled to ride Sea The Stars, was left ruing his luck at having to step aside. Joey Sheridan was on O’Brien’s other hope, Rebel Moon, but the late changes worked out perfectly as Browne McMonagle guided the well-supported 7/2 shot to a four-length victory.
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Third at the French Oaks, Inis Mor stayed on to be runner-up, while Sparan Nua also came from the rear to finish third. Rebel Moon briefly shaped as her stable companion’s big danger down the straight only to ultimately fade to fourth. Earth Shot started a 9/4 favourite but could only manage sixth.
Given the depth of talent he can draw on, Aidan O’Brien has successfully pulled off such big-race reshuffles for decades. His son’s same capacity for such pivots has been underlined repeatedly in the last 10 years. At 33, the ominous prospect for his rivals is that this looks like the shape of things to come.
An Irish Leger winner with Al Riffa last year, O’Brien also landed the 2018 Curragh Derby with Latrobe. He won the colts race twice during his own brief albeit hugely successful riding career, but this was a first success in the fillies classic. In 2014, he was an unlucky loser when riding the runner-up Tapestry after his saddle slipped soon after the start.
“It was a huge performance, and I thought Dylan gave her a fantastic ride,” said O’Brien of the win. “He kept control of the race and had a very willing partner. From the three to the two she really came alive and is a hugely exciting filly for the future.”
“We thought we had a messy enough trip at Ascot. Dylan just said she was waiting the whole way up the straight at Ascot but obviously the filly who beat us also had an interfered trip that day too, so it was hard to quantify the magnitude of it.”
He added: “I thought she was a real live contender and I’m delighted for her owners. She’s a daughter of Sea The Stars with a big pedigree and it’s a real pleasure for me to get the opportunity to train her. To have two impressive Oaks winners is hugely exciting.”
Browne McMonagle concurred. “She’s a filly with a lot of gears and when I pressed the button, she put the race to bed in a couple of strides and powered away. She wasn’t a bad substitute!”
As for Thundering On, O’Brien added: “She’ll be back in the autumn. It’s a pity we didn’t get to see her here today, but we’ll have her back for the autumn.”
Oisin Murphy endured a tough time in the classic, where Inis Mor raced keenly throughout and ultimately did well to finish second.
However, Britain’s champion jockey enjoyed a much happier experience in the Group Two Gain Railway Stakes as he teamed up with his fellow Kerryman Michael O’Callaghan to win with Celeron.
Disappointing in Royal Ascot’s Windsor Castle Stakes when drawn on the wrong side of the track, Celeron kept tabs with a strong early pace before powering through to score by three lengths.
“I’m very pleased and very relieved,” said O’Callaghan. “I was still slightly apprehensive about staying at six furlongs in this company, he’s a horse that will probably want a mile next spring and Oisin confirmed that when he came back in.
“He said he found the pace a bit hot through the middle part of the race but was able to hold his position and he’s a big horse, about 16.1, a big stride; Oisin said it was his class that got him there. He took plenty of pulling up and is very exciting for everybody.”
“He’s a real miler in physique, he’s a big, strong colt, a lovely mover. He’s by Mohaather out of a Siyouni mare and is starting to really confirm what we thought of him,” O’Callaghan added.
The Oaks winner was an expensive €460,000 purchase as a yearling, but Celeron cost significantly less – just £20,000 (€23,000) – at the same stage.
One Look was an odds-on favourite to repeat last year’s success in the Group Three Meadow Court Stakes, but while she faded to sixth it was her stable companion Moody that made all to win smoothly. The winner will now step up to Group One company.
“I have her in the Jean-Romanet, the Yorkshire Oaks and all those type of races,” said her trainer Paddy Twomey. Taking up the York option might result in a clash with Johanna Walsh.
One Look’s rider James Doyle was also out of luck in the big race on Earth Shot, but did at least pick up the Group Two Sapphire Stakes, leading home a clean sweep of the places for British raiders aboard the stalwart sprinter, Cover Up.
The winner could return to HQ for the Flying Five over Irish Champions Festival although getting there via York’s Nunthorpe Stakes.
The opening juvenile maiden has an illustrious history of throwing up future stars and Dermot Weld’s newcomer Porto Vechio impressed. September’s National Stakes is already on the radar of the full brother to Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs.
