G1 Irish Oaks

Saturday, Curragh, post time: 15:40, JUDDMONTE IRISH OAKS-G1, €290,000, 3yo, f, 12fT Field: Bay Colony (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Butterfly Wings (Justify), Island Hopping (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Merrily (No Nay Never), Minnie Hauk (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Subsonic (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Wemighttakedlongway (Ire) (Australia {GB}). TDN Verdict: Few will bet against Minnie Hauk completing the Oaks double in this impoverished field which doesn't deserve its Classic status. Only the well-beaten Oaks fourth Wemightakedlongway and a relative miracle stands in the way of Ballydoyle's Epsom heroine and it will...

Friday, Newbury, post time: 16:10, THE IRE-INCENTIVE - PAYS TO BUY IRISH ROSE BOWL S.-Listed, £45,000, 2yo, Open, 6f 0y Field: Amorim (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Do Bronxs (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), First Legion (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Kolkata Knight (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), Nuevo Slovo (Ire) (James Garfield {Ire}), Rock On Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Wise Approach (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}). TDN Verdict: TDN Rising Star Wise Approach sets the standard on his Norfolk Stakes second, with this trip sure to suit better than the five at Ascot. Amorim...

Ballydoyle's Minnie Hauk (Frankel) looks to have a relatively straightforward task of completing a Classic double in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at The Curragh, with three of her six rivals from her own stable. Set to start long odds-on, the Oaks heroine will be joined by Butterfly Wings (Justify), Island Hopping (Wootton Bassett) and Merrily (No Nay Never). Joseph O'Brien re-opposes again with Cayton Park Stud's Oaks fourth Wemightakedlongway (Australia), with the other runners being Craig Bernick's Bay Colony (New Bay) from the Fozzy Stack stable and Newtown Anner...

A rematch between Minnie Hauk (Frankel) and Whirl (Wootton Bassett) in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh is unlikely, according to trainer Aidan O'Brien, who was responsible for six of the nine fillies left in the Classic on Tuesday. Just a neck separated the two stablemates when they met in the Oaks at Epsom, with Minnie Hauk edging ahead in the final strides to get the better of the gutsy Whirl, who has since gained a first Group 1 success of her own when seeing off her elders...

Ribblesdale Stakes runner-up Lava Stream (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) has been supplemented for the G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Saturday, along with course winner Hanalia (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Trained by David O'Meara, Lava Stream was rated just 74 at the start of the season, but she has since been successful in a handicap at Doncaster and a Listed contest at Goodwood before faring best of the rest behind Port Fairy (Ire) (Australia {GB})--the ante-post favourite for Saturday's Classic--at Royal Ascot. Beaten just a neck...

Classic winner Even So (Ire) (Camelot {GB}-Breeze Hill {Ire}, by Danehill), has been sold by Coolmore to Japan for broodmare duties, Irishracing.com reported on Saturday. Lyons's brother and assistant Shane Lyons told Irishracing.com, "Even So has gone breeding and has been sold to Japan. She was an absolute lady, had a beautiful Dr Devious-pedigree so hopefully she does well over in Japan for her new connections. "She was a superstar and to win a Classic on home soil, you couldn't get any higher. It's what dreams are made of and...

Aidan O'Brien is well-represented in a domestic Classic yet again on Saturday with half of the eight-strong field declared for The Curragh's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks from Ballydoyle. All are daughters of Galileo (Ire), with Evie Stockwell's G1 Epsom Oaks runner-up Ennistymon (Ire) heading the quartet under Wayne Lordan. Remarkably, seven of the eight hail from the Sadler's Wells sire line, with the past Coolmore great also the damsire of the sole exception, SBA Racing Limited's June 21 G3 Blue Wind S. third Yaxeni (Fr) (Maxios {GB}). The latter is...

Jessica Harrington has "various options" as the next target for Group 1-winning filly Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). The 3-year-old holds entries for both the G3 Green Room Meld S. at Leopardstown on Saturday and the G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at The Curragh a week later, and could take up either engagement. After winning her first two juvenile starts, including a Group 2 success in the Airlie Stud S., the filly finished sixth behind subsequent dual Classic winner Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. before claiming a...

Juddmonte will sponsor the G1 Irish Oaks for the next three years, The Curragh announced via Horse Racing Ireland on Wednesday. The 2020 edition is slated for Saturday, July 18. The distinctive pink, green and white silks have been first past the post three times in the fillies' Classic-Wemyss Bight (GB) (Dancing Brave) in 1993, Bolas (GB) (Unfuwain) in 1994 and Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) took the 2017 edition. In 2020, Prince Khalid Abdullah's operation will be represented by homebred fillies G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile victress Quadrilateral (GB) (Frankel {GB})...