Aidan O’Brien has four runners in today’s Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh. The most prominent is Even Song; the Ribblesdale Stake winner is ready to make this O’Brien’s fifth Oaks win at 5.45 this evening. He will be hoping to do the double like he did with Bracelet in 2014.
The other three of his entries are not there for show though, with Somehow being the best of the others and in with a chance later today. O’Brien has added cheek pieces to Somehow today after her last run out, he felt it might help her on this track. Whether it’s the luck of the Irish or just the fact he’s such a good judge of his horse, he always seems to get a result when he does this sort of thing. O’Brien’s other runners are Seventh Heaven and Pretty Perfect with odds of 28/1 and 16/1 respectively with Bet Victor and Paddy Power.
This is a twelve horse race and there are entries from England who also ran against Even Song at Royal Ascot, the most prominent being Architecture the Hugo Palmer trained filly. Even Song has had a rest since Royal Ascot and O’Brien says she likes most grounds so the going being Good today will not hamper her. Odds on Even Song this morning are 4/6 with Ladbrokes.
Architecture has also had a rest since Royal Ascot where she only managed 8th place, so realistically she shouldn’t hamper Even Song, although this is another battle of the jockeys, Detorri is riding Architecture and up against Ryan Moore on Even Song, that winning combo of Moore and O’Brien again. Odds on Architecture today are 8/1 with Paddy Power.
Not to be ruled out is Roger Varian’s’ Ajman Princess who came second to Even Song last time out at Royal Ascot. She has odds of 10/1 this morning with William Hill, a little surprising based on her previous form.
Hugo Palmer also has We are Ninety running, who is a big runner and might just nip into the top three, based on her form at Royal Ascot, odds on We are Ninety are a healthy 25/1 with Bet365.
Plenty of other racing around today, with cards at Cartmel, Haydock, Lingfield, Market Rasen, Newbury, Newmarket and Ripon as well as Delaware in the US.
Good Luck today.