Irish Oaks: Curragh feature won by You Got To Me for Ralph Beckett team

You Got To Me justified significant market support to surge to Juddmonte Irish Oaks success at the Curragh.

The winner of Lingfield’s Oaks Trial earlier in the season, Ralph Beckett’s daughter of Nathaniel had been backed into 15/2 from double-figure overnight odds and had previously finished fourth to Ezeliya at Epsom before filling the same spot in the Ribblesdale Stakes when racing keenly on the front end.

With a tongue-tie applied and ridden with more restraint, You Got To Me travelled comfortably in mid-division in the hands of regular pilot Hector Crouch, who was enjoying the biggest success of his career.

Moving smoothly into contention, You Got To Me showed both her stamina and class when asked to win her race by Crouch, hitting the front with a furlong to run and showing plenty of resolve as the Aidan O’Brien-trained 3-1 favourite Content came chasing in the closing stages.

You Got To Me held a three-quarter length advantage at the line though, with Content in second and Paddy Twomey’s Purple Lily third.

Beckett admitted the race had not gone entirely as planned, but praised Crouch for swiftly adapting his tactics.

He said: “She was training well in the spring when perhaps we weren’t clicking, and she did it the hard way at Lingfield.

“It didn’t really work out in the Oaks and she went a bit hard in the Ribblesdale, downhill start there over 12 furlongs at Ascot – it can happen there.

“A tongue strap on today probably helped, it just gave her something else to think about.

“Hector said he had to barge through everywhere to get a position and to keep his position. She’s a very brave filly.

“The plan was to be forward and kick on from the top of the hill, but you always have to have a plan B. Hector is not a man that panics and he knew what was going to happen after five strides and rode a race to fit her.”

Crouch was securing the biggest victory of his career and said: “It’s hard to put what that means into words.

“It’s a very, very special day and I’m extremely thankful to Ralph and to Valmont and to Newsells Park Stud for keeping the faith in me and this filly.

“I’m a bit emotional to be honest, it means an awful lot. I’ve always had a tremendous amount of faith in her and when she’s good, she’s very good.

“I can’t believe it, it’s unbelievable.

“I was a touch slow away and I had to take it as it came. She was very tough and very brave when I needed her.”

Believing sparkles in Sapphire success

Believing justified George Boughey’s decision to head to Ireland with an impressive success in the Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes.

The Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned filly has been a consistent operator in the top sprinting events of late, finishing fourth in both the King Charles III and Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Dropping back to Group Two company at the Curragh, she had the perfect opportunity to stamp her class on her rivals and grabbed the opportunity with both hands under the guidance of Ryan Moore.

With a furlong to run it was Believing and fellow British raider Beautiful Diamond who had come to the head of proceedings, but the evens favourite was always in control as Moore urged his mount on to score by a length and three-quarters.

Karl Burke’s Beautiful Diamond was second at 5/1 with Ed Walker’s Makarova completing a clean sweep of the places for the UK-based fillies and mares.

Henry Morshead, Boughey’s assistant trainer, said: “She’s such a hardy, tough filly and she did it well.

“She came out of Ascot great. She ran with great credit in two Group Ones over the week which is amazing. She hasn’t done a lot since and we’ve just freshened her up.

“She can be quite busy at a high level through the second half of the year, and I’d imagine she’ll have sales hopes later in the year.

“Highclere are great supporters of the yard and it’s great to get a Group Two win for them.”

Moore felt switching back to five furlongs had been a positive for Believing.

He added: “She has been in very good form this year, she won well at Haydock and had two very solid runs in Group Ones at Ascot. She was probably entitled to win this.

“She is very straightforward and seems to be most suited to five furlongs.”

London towers over Curragh Cup rivals

Tower Of London swooped in the final strides to snatch Group Two glory in the Comer Group International Curragh Cup.

The one-mile-six-furlong contest looked likely to be a battle between the 13/8 winner and 11/8 favourite Vauban, who finished fourth in the Gold Cup at Ascot last time.

However, it was Tower Of London’s fellow Aidan O’Brien inmate Grosvenor Square who set out to make all, building up a huge advantage in the hands of Gavin Ryan.

He still had plenty of daylight between him and the rest of the field turning for home, with Vauban’s attempt to run down Grosvenor Square quickly petering out.

Ryan’s mount was starting to tread water in the final furlong though, just as Tower Of London really engaged top gear for Ryan Moore, reeling in the leader in the final furlong to eventually prevail by a length and a quarter. Vauban was a further seven lengths back in third.

Moore quipped: “I was thinking don’t get there too soon!

“He is a lovely, lovely horse and it was certainly made interesting. We let the leader have far too much rope.

“We wanted to make sure to ride him with a bit of confidence and to get him to finish his race today after his run at York. He was a great horse at the start of the year and he is great fun. There is lots of options open for him.”

O’Brien praised Moore’s effort in the saddle and could look to the Irish St Leger next before a possible Melbourne Cup run.

He said: “Ryan gave him a peach.

“He could come back here for the Leger.

“He’s a great horse to have and can travel anywhere, he loves travelling. He could be a Melbourne Cup horse, he could be anything.”

The runner-up could also be heading for the Australian staying highlight.

O’Brien added: “Grosvenor Square ran a great race and he’s a trip horse. He wanted to go the distance and could be a Melbourne Cup horse.”

Lion roars for O’Brien at the Curragh

The Lion In Winter surprised his better-fancied stablemate Ides Of March to win the Juddmonte Chaldean Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden.

Aidan O’Brien’s pair were sent off at odds of 11/2 and 5/4 favourite respectively, with Ryan Moore opting to ride the market leader.

However, it was The Lion In Winter who proved strongest over the seven-furlong trip, sweeping through late on to win by two and a quarter lengths from Currawood, with Ides Of March a further length back in third.

The Lion In Winter is a 25/1 shot with Coral for both the 2000 Guineas and Derby next year and O’Brien has no concerns about a longer distance.

He said: “He’s been working lovely and you would have to be very happy with him. He has plenty of class and would have no trouble going up in trip.

“He was a bit green but finished out very well and looks a quality colt.

“Ryan said his horse is more fast than stamina, so he might go back in trip.”

Rudi’s Apple (5/2) dominated the Barberstown Castle Sprint Nursery Handicap for Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle.

The Phoenix Stakes entry showed a fine turn of foot at the business end to easily account for Snapdragon by three and three-quarter lengths.

McMonagle said: “He was straight forward and travelled well. He was always comfortable through the race.

“I was always confident, and he quickened up good. He was a good winner at the line. He’s progressing and is only going to get better.

“He had a big weight but is probably a level above them.”

Big Gossey (12/1) registered a sixth Curragh success as he returned to his best in the David Power Memorial Premier Handicap.

The seven-year-old is a regular in the big sprint handicaps but had not hit the mark since winning over seven furlongs last November.

He returned to form in style though, coming home a length and a quarter clear of Greek Flower for trainer Charles O’Brien and jockey Robert Whearty.

Part-owner Gary O’Brien rides the horse out every day and said: “That’s his sixth win here and his 35th run at the Curragh. He’s an incredible little horse and has a big heart.

“We thought this race was mapped out for him today. He ran a brilliant race in the Rockingham and Charles said to me the drop of rain this morning will do no harm to him.

“You have to work out his programme every day because no one day is the same with him. When we bring him here to work, you have to lead him down to the Old Vic.

“We don’t argue with him any more and there is no point as he’d win the battle anyway.

“He’s like a family pet and will retire to St Margarets when he’s 10 or 11 and we can all go up and visit him for the rest of his life.

“I’ve such an attachment to the horse and he trusts me like you wouldn’t believe. I ride him out every morning and today was a very special day.”