Frankie Dettori is odds-on to land a record-equalling sixth success in Saturday’s Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh.
After a turbulent number of weeks following his short-lived ‘sabbatical’ from the John and Thady Gosden team, bookmakers reckon the veteran Italian jockey is about to get a Classic boost this weekend on board Emily Upjohn.
The Gosden filly is a general 4-7 favourite to get revenge on her Epsom conqueror Tuesday in ante-post betting lists.
Emily Upjohn looked hugely unlucky in the Epsom Oaks after stumbling out of the gates and being forced to challenge wide in the straight before losing out to her rival by a short head.
Your complete guide to all the festive sporting action including TV details
Irish Times Sportswoman of the Year Awards: ‘The greatest collection of women in Irish sport in one place ever assembled’
Two-time Olympic champion Kellie Harrington named Irish Times/Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year 2024
Pub staff struggled to keep up with giddy Shamrock Rovers fans who enjoyed every moment of Chelsea trip
Tuesday subsequently failed to fire against colts in the Irish Derby while Dettori’s short split with the Gosdens dominated headlines after last month’s Royal Ascot action.
A fresh top-flight victory could be timely for the 51-year-old star and the Curragh Oaks has proved a notably successful race for Dettori over the years, with a handful of victories begun by Lailani all of 21 years ago.
A couple of years later he enjoyed a memorable success for the late Paddy Mullins on board Vintage Tipple, and scored too for Godolphin in 2011 on Blue Bunting.
There have been a pair of victories for John Gosden courtesy of the outstanding Enable in 2017 and Star Catcher in 2019.
One more success will see Dettori equal the record tally of six wins in the race achieved by his good friend Johnny Murtagh.
Tuesday is a general 7-2 second favourite for the fourth Classic of the season at HQ while Jessica Harrington’s Magical Lagoon, winner of the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, is a 6-1 shot.
Likely opposition to Emily Upjohn will become more clear after Tuesday’s acceptance stage for the €500,000 feature.
One horse that won’t be at the Curragh, though, is the Epsom Oaks seventh Rogue Millennium.
She was runner-up at Newcastle in her only subsequent start and will skip the Irish Classic in favour of a potential trip to France.
“Rogue Millennium won’t go to the Irish Oaks even though she has an entry,” confirmed her trainer, Tom Clover.
“She had a little week in the paddock after the Hoppings Stakes at Newcastle. Whether we go to the Nassau or not – and if the ground was on the easy side we might consider Goodwood – otherwise we might go to Deauville.
“There are a couple of Group races there in August and we might well go for one of those,” he added.
Successful with Snowfall a year ago, Aidan O’Brien needs one more winner to take his Irish Oaks haul to a record seven for a trainer. He is currently tied with Michael Stoute on six.
The champion trainer secured just a third Group One of the season with Tenebrism in Sunday’s Prix Jean Prat at Deauville but won’t be represented in Thursday’s Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp.
Instead, Irish hopes will be carried by his son Donnacha, whose Irish Derby runner-up Piz Badile was supplemented into the €600,000 Bastille Day highlight on Monday.
Piz Badile is another shot at a maiden Group One success for former champion apprentice Gavin Ryan, who takes the ride again having lost out to Dettori when the colt disappointed in the Epsom Derby.
Before that Ryan had partnered the Ulysses colt to a narrow success in the Ballysax Stakes at Leoaprdstown in April.
Just half a dozen horses remain in the mile and a half contest due off at 7.50 on Thursday evening, including Simca Mille, who was also supplemented into the race.
The also include the French Derby runner up El Bodegon and Eldar Eldarov, who landed the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot on his last start.
Action returns to Dundalk’s all-weather circuit on Tuesday where the remarkable Johnny Allen has a single spin in the concluding handicap.
The 37-year-old Co Cork born rider is one of Australian racing’s greatest success stories having left Ireland as a struggling jumps jockey over a decade ago and become a multiple Group One winner on the Flat.
That CV famously includes a Cox Plate victory on Joseph O’Brien’s State Of Rest last October.
Allen has had a number of rides already during a brief break back in Ireland before returning to Australia and teams up with Ray Cody’s War Correspondent, who makes his handicap debut off a mark of 75.
The colt was nicely backed on his previous start at Fairyhouse last month but didn’t help his chance with a slow start.
Killarney’s festival action continues on Tuesday evening where National Ballet has a first start for Jessica Harrington in a two-mile handicap.
The ex-Ballydoyle runner started favourite for the Irish Cesarewitch on his final start for the O’Brien team last season.
