By Heather Anderson & Adam Houghton
The Coolmore partners have a strong presence in the G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks, with Ballydoyle's Aidan O'Brien saddling three contestants in the 14-horse field. Highest on ratings is Group 3 winner Content, who is one of three among the 3-year-old fillies aiming to give her late, great sire his 100th worldwide Grade/Group 1 winner. The 1 1/2-mile Classic is not all about the former kingpin, however, as Camelot's G3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes winner Dare To Dream also lines up. The G2 Ribblesdale one-two Port Fairy and Lava Stream lock horns once again as well.
CAUGHT U LOOKING (IRE)
Harzand (Ire)–Wild Mix (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire})
Sales info: Bred by Peter Kelly, she was sold by The Castlebridge Consignment for €27,000 to Peter Nolan and Noel Meade at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale. However, Kelly remained involved in the ownership of the filly, along with Tally Ho-Stud's Tony O'Callaghan, who bought into her after the sale.
Pedigree/form notes: This Group 3-winning juvenile is the first runner out of an unraced half-sister to the G3 Abernant Stakes and G3 Supreme Stakes winner Double Or Bubble (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and the G3 Chartwell Fillies' Stakes heroine Mix And Mingle (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}). Her second dam Mango Lady (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) is a winning half-sister to the G1 St Leger and G1 Rheinland-Pokal runner-up High Accolade (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}).
Beaten nine lengths when finishing fifth in the G1 Oaks at Epsom last time, Caught U Looking needs to leave that form well behind to make an impact against this class of opposition.
CONTENT (IRE)
Galileo (Ire)–Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})
Pedigree/form notes: This Coolmore homebred is one of three winners from as many runners out of the dual G1 Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), with the others including this year's two-year-old Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), a 9 1/2-length winner of the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot. Mecca's Angel, in turn, is a full-sister to the G3 Chipchase Stakes and G3 Criterion Stakes-winning sire Markaz (Ire).
Content is already a black-type winner having struck in the G3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes at the Curragh as a two-year-old, while she added a valuable Group 1 placing to her record when finishing third in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the same course last time.
DARE TO DREAM (FR)
Camelot (GB)–Debutante (Fr) (Gold Away {Ire})
Sales info: This March foal was offered by co-breeder Ecurie des Monceaux at the Arqana October Yearling Sale and was knocked down to Gavin Hernon for €67,000. Monceaux, Meridian International and Scuderia Waldeck SNC are the breeders on her page.
Pedigree/form notes: This filly's dual Listed-placed dam is a half-sister to four black-type winners, including the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes heroine Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}), plus this year's G2 Queen's Vase scorer and G1 Grand Prix de Paris second Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). She is also from the family of the G1 Prix Vermeille-winning champion Indian Rose (Fr) (General Holme) and the sires Vert Amande and Le Nain Jaune (Fr).
Dare To Dream won the G3 Prix Vanteaux at Longchamp in April and has performed with credit in two subsequent starts up in grade, notably finishing a close-up fifth in last month's G1 Prix de Diane at Chantilly.
ELIZABETH JANE (IRE)
Dubawi (Ire)–Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB})
Pedigree/form notes: This Moyglare Stud homebred is one of four winners out of the G2 British Champions Fillies And Mares Stakes victrix and G1 Pretty Polly Stakes second Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}), with the others including the G2 Kilboy Estate Stakes third Kiss For A Jewel (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and the dual Group 3-placed Federica Sophia (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Sapphire herself is out of the blue hen Polished Gem (Ire) (Danehill), whose other progeny include star stayer Kyprios (Ire) and the dual G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For A Song (Ire), both by Galileo (Ire), plus the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes winner and sire Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Polished Gem, in turn, is out of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas victrix Trusted Partner (Affirmed).
A 'TDN Rising Star' having impressed when making a winning debut at Leopardstown last October, Elizabeth Jane might have needed the run after eight months off when finishing seventh in the Listed Naas Oaks Trial last time.
GALILEO DAME (IRE)
Galileo Gold (GB)–Two For Tea (Ire) (Mount Nelson {GB})
Sales info: Bred by Tally-Ho Stud, she sold to Blandford Bloodstock for €125,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-up Sale.
Pedigree/form notes: This filly is the first winner from two runners out of a winning half-sister to the G2 Champions Juvenile Stakes third Alder (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and the G3 1000 Guineas Trial second Radiantly (GB) (Aussie Rules), as well as Fabulae (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), the dam of another Irish Oaks runner in Port Fairy. Galileo Dame–whose third dam is the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Shiva (Jpn) (Hector Protector), a half-sister to the G1 Oaks heroine Light Shift (Kingmambo)–followed her Leopardstown maiden win in April with a fourth-place finish in the Listed Cheshire Oaks and a runner-up effort in the Gowran Classic.
HANALIA (IRE)
Sea The Stars (Ire)–Hanakiyya (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire})
Pedigree/form notes: This Aga Khan homebred is one of five winners out of her winning dam, with the others including the G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil scorer Hunaina (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) and the G3 1000 Guineas Trial victrix Hamariyna (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}). Her second dam, Handaza (Ire) (Be My Guest), is a half-sister to the G3 Athasi Stakes scorer Hazariya (Ire) (Xaar {GB}), herself dam of the dual Derby hero and sire Harzand (Ire). This is also the family of the three-time Group 1 winner Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), whose victories included the Irish Derby and St Leger.
After getting off the mark at the second attempt in a maiden at the Curragh, Hanalia took a big step forward to follow up in last month's Listed Naas Oaks Trial.
LAVA STREAM (IRE)
Too Darn Hot (GB)–Stream Song (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire})
Pedigree/form notes: This Elwick Stud homebred is the second winner from as many runners out of her dam, a winning half-sister to five black-type performers. They include a trio of Group-race winners by Dubawi (Ire), namely the G1 British Champions Fillies And Mares Stakes heroine Journey (GB), G2 Park Hill Fillies' Stakes scorer Mimikyu (GB) and G2 May Hill Stakes victrix Indigo Girl (GB). The second dam is the G1 Prix Royal-Oak heroine Montare (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), herself a daughter of the Listed-winning Contare (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}).
Rated just 74 at the start of the season, Lava Stream has since been successful in a handicap at Doncaster and a Listed race at Goodwood, before being beaten just a neck behind Port Fairy in the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.
LOPE DE LILAS (IRE)
Lope De Vega (Ire)–Golden Gazelle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})
Sales info: Meridian International shelled out €90,000 for this filly, who was bred by a group led by Ammerland Verwaltung GmbH and company. Incidentally, Ammerland consigned her to the Arqana August Sale.
Pedigree/form notes: A maiden winner from two starts, the chestnut is the second foal and second winner out of Golden Gazelle, who landed her single victory as a 3-year-old over 2000 metres at Compiegne. Second dam and G1 Prix du Moulin heroine Grey Lilas (Ire) (Danehill) threw a trio of stakes winners, including Golden Gazelle's full-sister, French Oaks/French 1000 Guineas and Prix d'Ispahan heroine Golden Lilac (Ire).
Champion NH trainer Willie Mullins has earned almost every accolade imaginable in the National Hunt sphere. If his filly is successful on Saturday, it would be his first Irish Oaks victory, but she faces a tough ask.
MADAM CELESTE (IRE)
Galileo (Ire)–Signora Cabello (Ire) (Camacho {GB})
Sales info: Unsold when offered by The Castlebridge Consignment as a weanling at Goffs, this bay made €750,000 on the bid of owner Newtown Anner Stud when sent through the same ring during the Orby Sale in 2022.
Pedigree/form notes: A winner in three starts, this Phoenix Thoroughbred-bred filly was second in the G3 Jannah Rose Stakes in May. The first foal out of G2 Queen Mary Stakes/G2 Prix Robert Papin victress Signora Cabello, who was also second in the G1 Prix Morny, the Ger Lyons trainee is from the same family as 1994 G1 1000 Guineas heroine Las Meninas (Ire) (Glenstal).
Few fillies are facing a bigger challenge than Madam Celeste, especially as she was fifth to the supplemented Hanalia–with future stakes winner Greenfinch third–in the Listed Naas Oaks Trial last out on June 26.
PORT FAIRY (IRE)
Australia (GB)–Fabulae (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus})
Pedigree/form notes: Bred by the O'Brien family's Whisperview Trading, the chestnut is the second produce of Fabulae, herself a half-sister to both G2 Champions Juvenile Stakes second Alder (Ire) (Australia {GB}), and the winning Two For Tea (Ire) (Mount Nelson {GB}), who foaled fellow Irish Oaks participant Galileo Dame.
To put it bluntly, the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes heroine is one of the likeliest winners. If she, or one of her two stablesmates prevail, they would give Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O'Brien his eighth Irish Oaks.
PURPLE LILY (IRE)
Calyx (GB)–Boca Raton (Ire) (Approve {Ire})
Sales info: This B O'Neill-bred filly was consigned by Woodford Stud to the Goffs November Foal Sale, where she changed hands for €17,500 to Masterly Bloodstock. Lissglen Stables re-offered her as a yearling in the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, and she caught the eye of Paragon Bloodstock for €24,000 there. Re-offered through Tattersalls Ireland, this time as a Goresbridge breezer, the Chasefield Stables draftee found a new home with Avenue Bloodstock to the tune of €155,000.
Pedigree/form notes: This 'TDN Rising Star' is the third foal out of her winning dam. Boca Raton's half-sister Lady's Secret (Ire) (Alzao) was third in this race in 2002.
Although this will be her first trip over the 1 1/2 mile-distance, Purple Lily acquitted herself well when fifth in Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB})'s G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at the end of May. With talent to burn, the G3 Salsabil Stakes-placed filly has the potential to surprise on Saturday.
RUBIES ARE RED (IRE)
Galileo (Ire)–Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab)
Pedigree/form notes: G1 Matron Stakes and G1 Lockinge Stakes scorer Red Evie has been a revelation as a broodmare, with group-winning Galileo (Ire) full-sisters Magical Dream (Ire), Arc/BC Turf victress Found (Ire), Best In The World (Ire), and Irish Oaks runner-up Divinely (Ire) her best foals.
She has the family for it, and the Coolmore homebred Rubies Are Red would be the 100th Grade/Group 1 winner for her illustrious late sire. A Classic would be a resounding locale to break one's maiden, however there are more likely rivals participating.
WAR CHIMES (FR)
Summer Front–Chipolata (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB})
Sales info: Trainer David Menuisier paid just €62,000 for this filly, from Haras de Capucines, at the Arqana October Yearling Sale.
Pedigree/form notes: The trio of Hubert Honore, Nicolas Clement and Christophe Clement Racing bred the Listed Prix Isonomy heroine out of the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes third Chipolata.
Third in the G3 Prix Cleopatre later in the spring, she was not disgraced when third in the G1 Betfred Oaks and the distance should hold no fears. Worth a shot, especially as Menuisier has hit the crossbars of multiple Classics with his trainees already this season.
YOU GOT TO ME (GB)
Nathaniel (Ire)–Brushing (GB) (Medicean {GB})
Sales info: Part of The National Stud draft during the Tattersalls December Foal Sale in 2011, the daughter of Brushing made 62,000gns when selected by BBA Ireland. Re-emerging as a Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling, You Got To Me cost Alex Elliott 200,000gns from consignor Glenvale Stud.
Pedigree/form notes: Part of the Dullingham Park Stud and Sarabex breeding programme, this filly is the third foal produced by the Listed Galtres Stakes winner. Group 1 winners abound in this clan, among them GI Canadian International Stakes hero Relaxed Gesture (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), and Buffering (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}), a top-tier winner in both Australia and Dubai.
Already a listed winner at Lingfield, You Got To Me has shown to be a hair below group company to date, after a pair of fourths in the G1 Oaks and the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes. However, she'd need just a few cards to fall differently to waltz away with some valuable Group 1 black-type.
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