Bracelet Shines in Irish Oaks Victory
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Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Susan Magnier's Bracelet picked up a classic victory July 19 when she delivered a strong finish in the Darley Irish Oaks (Ire-I) at the Curragh.
One of five fillies in the field of 11 trained by Aidan O'Brien, Bracelet was angled out into the three path for her stretch run by jockey Colm O'Donoghue. The Irish-bred daughter of Montjeu overtook early leader Volume in mid-stretch and continued well to post a neck victoryover stablemate Tapestry in the 1 1/2-mile race for 3-year-old fillies.
The victory was O'Brien's fourth in the Irish Oaks and first since 2008, when he captured the classic for a third straight time with Moonstone.
Irish rider O'Donoghue notched his first Irish Oaks victory with Bracelet.
Volume, who enjoyed a clear lead under Kevin Manning, managed to come again after being passed in the drive, but couldn't get past the winner and would settle for third. Tapestry finished well to just get up for second.
Bracelet was listed at 10-1 in U.S. pari-mutuel pools.
Bracelet entered off a victory at the distance as she won the 1 1/2-mile Ribblesdale Stakes (Eng-II) at Royal Ascot. She now boasts four wins in her first six starts, including three group-level triumphs.
Shadwell Stable's Tarfasha, the 6-5 favorite in U.S. pools off her runner-up finish in the Investec Oaks (Eng-I) at Epsom, took first run at Volume with three furlongs to go, but soon was passed by the winner. She faded off the board.
Out of group III-placed Cherry Hinton, by Green Desert, Bracelet is a full sister to group II winner Wading.
One race before the Oaks, Tabor, Smith, and Magnier's Dick Whittington secured the first stakes win of his career when he edged Toscanini and three other juveniles in the Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Anglesey (Ire-III). Favored in U.S. pools at 6-5, the son of Rip Van Winkle was guided to victory in the six-furlong race by Joseph O'Brien.
With the win, trainer O'Brien claimed his second straight Anglesey victory and ninth overall.
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