Star Catcher raids Curragh for Irish Oaks

Frankie Dettori and Star Catcher (7/2) made virtually all to give John Gosden his third Irish Oaks.

The Sea The Stars filly was supplemented at the cost of 40,000 euro and the investment paid off more than five fold as she won 228,000 euro.

She bounced away smartly from the stalls and soon headed Peach Tree as Dettori set the fractions in this mile and a half Classic.

Star Catcher had Peach Tree, Manuela De Vega and Trethias queuing up behind but Dettori asked her for more two and a half furlongs out and she answered his call.

She increased the tempo and took a couple of lengths out of the hard-driven pursuers at the two (pole).

Dettori went for the whip over a furlong out and increased the advantage, however, Fleeting was finishing well and really chased her hard in the final furlong.

Star Catcher had enough in the tank as she saw off the closing Fleeting (9/2) by half a length. Pink Dogwood the 5/2 favourite, could make no impression in third. She was beaten five lengths by the winner.

Frankie Dettori said: "She has done nothing but improve all season. We were torn with the idea of coming here and Mr Oppenheimer put up the money and they got their rewards back."

On what was behind the decision to travel, he added: "Her homework, the well-being of the filly and the vibe - we got some very good vibes from her in the last week.

"We thought 'lets roll the dice'. It is never going to be easy to win a Classic but we knew we had a horse good enough and today she showed it."

When asked if he has ever been riding with more confidence, he replied: "Maybe you have to go back to 1996 when I won the seven (races at Ascot).

"John Gosden is a genius and makes my life easy, I just ride them."

This was Dettori's fifth Irish Oaks.

On supplementing, John Gosden said: “When I suggested it to Mr Oppenheimer he was very brave and said 'go for it if you think it's right', so he gave me full support.

“I think Frankie was aware that his filly showed her best in the last furlong of the Ribblesdale and he was determined not to see a falsely run race.

“He's gone out there, set his own fractions, and quickened off the bend. With a tail wind in the straight but a head wind in front all the way down the back.

“That's Frankie, you leave him alone when he has a plan and he can go to plan b usually quite quickly.

“He has to have courage to do that which comes from years of experience and having a clock in your head.

“He's rode a quite beautiful race and confirmed the Ribblesdale form.

“She's a lovely filly and she's really done well since Royal Ascot. It just seemed an obvious thing to come here. This is a classic, it's a Group 1 and it's the Irish Oaks.

“They do close these races too soon in my opinion which is why I never have entries in them and I always end up having to supplement if I have something good enough.

“I wish they'd close them a little later here and then more of us could play.

“I'd say that was the plan.”

When asked if the Yorkshire Oaks was possible, he said:- “There is Coronet, Lah Ti Dar, Anapurna and maybe even Enable.

“She's a fabulous filly and she's won a Classic, that's all it's about.

“I think it's tremendous Kerrygold sponsoring it, I think it's great to see an Irish sponsor.

“She's out of a good mare and is by Sea The Stars, who to me is a phenomenally good stallion. He's done it with some rather questionable mares too and this is a good mare.

“It's no fluke and we've always liked this filly. I couldn't believe when she got beaten first time out at Chelmsford.

"We probably didn't go strong enough in the mile-and-a-quarter Listed and she got collared.

“This is a mile-and-a-half filly. Maybe later in the year the Prix Royallieu or Prix Vermeille could be options.”

On Frankie Dettori, he said: “We've been lucky to have him.

“He'd be the first to tell you that he went through some difficult times, mostly self inflicted but one specifically not.

“He's a wonderful person to be around. He's like family with us.

“I remember him hiding in the back of the car getting into Santa Anita as he was too young to have a licence to ride work there. He was hiding in the back of the car in the dark coming in at five in the morning.

“He's a gorgeous rider and knows his horses. When he's with you working them in the morning he nearly want to train them so I have to calm him down.

“I say 'I'm not going to ride them so you can't train them!'"

Dermot Weld said of fourth-placed Search For A Song “I was thrilled with the filly in the Oaks.

“It was a very good renewal of the race and I thought she ran a cracker.

“She was a good second to Jessie's filly (Trethias) last time and reversed the placings dramatically. I was very very pleased with her. It's onwards and upwards.

“She was a little bit keen early and that's why it was all the more complimentary for her that she came home the way she did.

“She was green, it was only the third run of her life, and we've come a long way from Cork (refused to load).

“When she won at Fairyhouse she did it well and then she ran a good race at Naas. Every race she is progressing considerably and hopefully we've lots to look forward to with her.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson