Irish Oaks: Timeform preview and free Race Pass
The Irish Oaks (15:45) at the Curragh on Saturday is available as a free Race Pass, which means logged-in customers can view all our premium comments and ratings.
The Irish Oaks (15:45) takes centre stage on Saturday and eight fillies have been declared for the Curragh classic. Aidan O'Brien is searching for a seventh win in the event and is represented by four fillies here, including Savethelastdance (128) who is clear at the head of Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings.
Savethelastdance was beaten at odds-on in the Oaks at Epsom, but she ran creditably to finish runner-up to Soul Sister, leaving the impression that she would have been suited by a stiffer test of stamina.
The ground was on the quick side at Epsom but conditions had been much more testing when she bolted up by 22 lengths in the Cheshire Oaks on her previous outing. There should be plenty of cut in the ground at the Curragh, which will suit Savethelastdance who is 5 lb clear at the head of Timeform's figures based on the form she showed at Chester.
The main danger could be one of her stablemates Warm Heart (123p). Warm Heart got off the mark at the third attempt at Leopardstown in May and built on that to narrowly get the better of Bluestocking in a mile-and-a-quarter listed race at Newbury a couple of weeks later.
Warm Heart also had Bluestocking in behind when she progressed again to complete the hat-trick in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot last month. That was Warm Heart's first first start over a mile and a half and she relished the step up in trip, finding plenty to score by two and a half lengths. She earned the Horse In Focus Flag for that authoritative display and still has the Timeform 'small p' to denote she remains open to improvement.
Ralph Beckett's Bluestocking (120p), the only British-trained runner in the line-up, also shaped well and earned the Horse In Focus Flag when third in the Ribblesdale Stakes.
She was beaten three and three-quarter lengths by Warm Heart at Royal Ascot, whereas she was only a head behind that rival at Newbury, but she can have her effort upgraded as she was denied a run until two furlongs out and may well have challenged for second with a clear passage. She also didn't look like the finished article on just her third start and she retains the Timeform 'small p' to suggest she could do better.
Splitting Warm Heart and Bluestocking at Royal Ascot was Lumiere Rock (119). She produced her best effort yet at Royal Ascot, seeing things out well on her first attempt at a mile and a half, but Warm Heart was well on top at the finish.
Jim Bolger saddles Comhra (122) who showed much-improved form to finish third in the Irish 1000 Guineas in May but failed to beat a rival in the Pretty Polly Stakes a few weeks ago. She has stamina to prove here on her first attempt at a mile and a half.
Also in the line-up are Dermot Weld's Azazat (113), who showed improved form when runner-up in the Munster Oaks last time but takes a big step up in class here, and Be Happy (122p) and Library (111) who complete O'Brien's quartet.
Be Happy was unsuited by how the race developed when second in a steadily-run Oaks Trial at Lingfield in May and could still do better granted a stiffer test, though she needs to find improvement here.
Library showed useful form when winning a listed race at Naas last month but was well beaten at Leopardstown recently and looks up against it.
Timeform's Analyst Verdict:
Savethelastdance is taken to make up for her short-priced reversal in the Oaks at Epsom by landing the Irish version. Warm Heart can confirm her Ribblesdale superiority over Bluestocking and Lumiere Rock and give her stablemate most to do.
Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings:
128 Savethelastdance
123p Warm Heart
122 Comhra
120p Bluestocking
119 Lumiere Rock
113 Azazat
112p Be Happy
111 Library
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