Irish Oaks Runners - Port Fairy & Lope De Lilas Feature In Entries For Curragh Classic

A stellar list of 18 fillies have been entered for Saturday’s Group 1 Irish Oaks, which is run at the Curragh at 3:40pm with the likes of Royal Ascot heroine Port Fairy and the Willie Mullins-trained Lope De Lilas two of the most notable names on the entry list.

Port Fairy is one of the star names entered by Aidan O’Brien, who is bidding for a record-extending eighth win in the race and the daughter of Australia showed when winning the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes last month that she is a top notch performer. Eighth in the Coronation Stakes, Content was then a decent third in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh and she could be another O’Brien runner, along with the likes of Rubies Are Red, Grateful and Greenfinch, who add more depth to the potential Ballydoyle charge.

Features

Irish Oaks Trends – Fillies Classic Under the Microscope

Having first been run in the late 19th century, the Irish Oaks is cemented as a prestigious Group 1 in the 3yo filly calendar. Many runners and winners have come from the Epsom Oaks and plenty will head to the Yorkshire Oaks after, where they potentially face their elders. As for this season’s renewal, Dave…

Mon 08 Jul 2024

An impressive two-and-a-quarter length winner of a Leopardstown maiden on only her second start, Lope De Lilas could make a monstrous step up in trip by lining up here for the abovementioned Mullins. The legendary National Hunt handler is bidding for his first win in this contest and this daughter of Lope De Vega is a prominent figure in the betting.

Fifth in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly, Dare To Dream could be a fascinating French-trained runner that adds a new intrigue to the contest, while David Menuisier’s War Chimes will look to improve on a fine third placed finish in the Oaks at Epsom Downs and is another with excellent form in the race.

Comfortable when winning a novice stakes at Salisbury, Roger Varian’s Ejaabiyah is another looking to use a win in a mediocre contest as a springboard to Classic glory and she will be one of the leading challengers from the UK, while Noel Meade’s Caught U Looking is another that lined up in the Oaks at Epsom and she is aiming to build on that fifth placed finish.

Irish Oaks Runners 2024