Snowfall prohibitive favorite in Irish Oaks
Anything other than a comfortable win by Snowfall in Saturday’s Group 1 Irish Oaks at The Curragh would be a surprising result.
On Thursday, Snowfall was an overwhelming favorite at 2-7 with bookmakers to remain unbeaten this year, having won the Group 3 Musidora Stakes at 1 5/16 miles by 3 3/4 lengths at 14-1 from the front at York Racecourse in England on May 12, and the Group 1 English Oaks at 1 1/2 miles by a record 16 lengths at odds of 11-2 at Epsom Racecourse on June 4.
Snowfall was near the back of the field of 14 in the English Oaks before making progress with three furlongs remaining.
The only significant change for the Irish Oaks is the presence of jockey Ryan Moore, who was aboard for the win in the Musidora, but rode Santa Barbara to a fifth-place finish as the 5-2 favorite in the English Oaks. Santa Barbara won the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks under Moore at Belmont Park on July 10.
Frankie Dettori rode Snowfall in the English Oaks. Dettori is booked to ride at Haydock Park in England on Saturday evening.
The Irish Oaks, for 3-year-old fillies, at 1 1/2 miles, will be Snowfall’s first start at Ireland top flat racetrack since a ninth-place finish in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes for 2-year-old fillies last September in her final start of the year in the country.
Snowfall, a Japanese-bred filly trained by Aidan O’Brien for the Coolmore partnership, was largely a disappointment as a 2-year-old, winning once in seven starts. She was fourth, fifth, ninth, and eighth in group stakes in England and Ireland from early August to early October.
In the Irish Oaks, Snowfall is one of four O’Brien-trained runners in a field of eight. O’Brien has won the Irish Oaks five times, all since 2006, but has not won the race since 2016, when he was successful with Seventh Heaven. If O’Brien wins the Irish Oaks with Snowfall, or the outsiders Divinely, La Jaconde, or Willow, he would tie Michael Stoute for the most wins in Ireland’s top race for 3-year-old fillies.
O’Brien’s greatest threats on Saturday come from a filly trained by his son Donnacha in Nicest, who was third in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at 1 1/2 miles for 3-year-old fillies at Royal Ascot in England on June 17.
Joseph O’Brien, another of Aidan’s sons, starts the longshot Mariesque.