Godolphin’s Pleascach (Teofilo) was the only
high-profile absentee as 10 fillies remain engaged for Saturday’s Irish Oaks
(Ire-G1) at The Curragh after Thursday’s declaration stage.
However, the Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) heroine’s omission does not detract from
what is still a highly competitive renewal of the 12-furlong classic.
With rider Ryan Moore confined to the sidelines, Wayne Lordan will be
reacquainted with Ribblesdale S. (Eng-G2) victress and likely favorite Curvy (Galileo), whose half-sister Thakafaat
(Unfuwain) ran
seventh in the 2005 edition. Curvy has been allocated the two spot on
the inside at the right-handed track.
The David Wachman trainee meets
with a quartet of Aidan O’Brien runners which includes the hitherto unbeaten
Words (Dansili), a daughter of 2008 winner Moonstone (Dalakhani), who gets the outside 10 box alongside stablemate
Kissed by Angels (Galileo). Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1) heroine Qualify (Fastnet Rock), who ran sixth in last month’s Irish Derby
(Ire-G1),
drew stall six next to Together Forever (Galileo) in seven.
The British contingent was trimmed by one to three. Normandie Stud’s Gretchen (Galileo)
gets the four hole,
supplemented listed Hoppings S. victress Covert Love (Azamour) is in eight and listed Ballymacoll Stud S. winner Speedy Boarding (Shamardal)
takes the three stall.
“We have had to spend all the money Covert Love has
won this year (to supplement her), but it has rather crept up on us,”
trainer Hugo Palmer said. “She is not exuberant at home and saves her
best for the track. On ratings, she only has a couple of lengths to
find.”
Trainer James Fanshawe was embedded at Sir Michael Stoute’s
Newmarket base when the Helena Springfield silks last visited the winner’s
circle atop Colorspin (High Top) in 1986, and he is
optimistic Speedy Boarding will do justice to the black-and-white colors,
“She is in excellent form at home and we hope that she does herself
justice. She is a big filly with a long stride which she’ll be able to use,”
Fanshawe remarked.
“On Wednesday morning she stretched her legs on The Limekilns (gallops),
which were riding superbly, and she looked to be loving it. Everything
is crossed for a big run.”
Despite Pleascach’s absence, trainer Jim Bolger still
has representation and will saddle Leopardstown maiden winner
Stellar Glow (Sea the Stars), who is drawn against the fence
in one. Gerard Byrne’s Jack Naylor (Champs Elysees) has
fallen short in the three straight Group 1 tests and will exit the five
slot coming back off a sixth in the Epsom equivalent.
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