Ryan Moore’s World Pool blog: Irish Oaks Stakes Day

The Oaks was messy; hopefully we see a different Amelia Earhart this time

Curragh: Race 1 | 2yo Maiden

SPEAKERS CORNER is one of three well-bred colts by Wootton Basset in here. He’s out of a Galileo mare and I’m hoping he’ll make up into a nice colt. It will be interesting to see what he does first time.

Dermot Weld’s Porto Vecchio is well-bred too and looks good on paper, while I think they quite liked Ger Lyons’ horse, Anchor Road, when that ran first time up, so is likely to be better than what he showed that day.

Curragh: Race 2 | 3yo+ Fillies Maiden

On her run at Leopardstown two starts back PINK CORAL should go okay, but she was disappointing the last day.

I’ve not ridden her yet, so don’t know a great deal, but it looks like she’ll need to bounce back to form to get involved here.

Curragh: Race 3 | G3 Rathbride Stakes

I don’t know much about RHAPSODY but it looks like a nice ride to get for William Haggas.

She ran well at Royal Ascot off a mark of 92, which was promising, but this is a Group 3 and it’s a fair step up in class. Hopefully she can run well.

Curragh: Race 5 | G2 Sapphire Stakes

CHARLES DARWIN kicked off the season with a win but has been slightly disappointing since. I think coming back to the Curragh will suit him and hopefully a return to 1000m will help, but there’s no guarantee.

Curragh: Race 6 | G2 Railway Stakes

CONFUCIUS ran respectably in the Coventry and was then beaten here just 11 days afterwards. That was obviously quite a quick turnaround from Royal Ascot, and I don’t think we saw the best of him that day – I think we’re better than that.

He sets the standard on his best form, so if we see the right Confucius turn up, he can hopefully win.

Curragh: Race 7 | G1 Irish Oaks

AMELIA EARHART makes her return with cheekpieces on for the first time having been of the track since the Oaks at Epsom.

While it was disappointing that she finished down the field that day given she was favourite, it was unusual conditions this year and I’d be hopeful we’ll see a different filly this time. The Oaks was a funny race, we didn’t go that quick, and I’m not sure how literally you should take the form. It was messy and I’m looking forward to seeing what she can do this time.

She’s still got plenty to prove but she’ll like being back at the Curragh and the headgear could help too.

It’s an interesting race.

You’ve got Thundering On, who was very impressive in the Oaks but then beaten in the Pretty Polly. Again, though, I’m not sure how much substance there is to the Pretty Polly, and she can be given another chance.

Then there’s Earth Shot, who did well in the circumstances to beat Joanna Walsh in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot. There was a bit of interference with a loose horse that day and Joanna Walsh probably ended up in front a little earlier than Dylan [Browne McMonagle] would have liked, so she’s got claims of reversing that form.

The Joseph [O’Brien] also has Rebel Moon, who won the trial for this in Naas a couple of weeks ago. She looks like being quite a nice filly.

Jim Bolger runs the Munster Oaks winner Sparan Nua who remains unbeaten in three starts and then there’s Inis Mor who ran well in the French Oaks too.

Of ours, Beautify is a big price considering she wasn’t beaten far in the Pretty Polly the last day, Composing could bounce back from Ascot considering that race wasn’t run to her liking and Sugar Island was third in the Oaks. It looks very open.

It’s a deep renewal and a very open race.