After a week-long saga over their intended Derby rides, it was finally down to the action at Epsom as Johnny Murtagh’s supreme effort on Dancing Rain forced Kieren Fallon and Wonder Of Wonders to settle for second in the Oaks.
Even as the Classic was underway, an outcome was being awaited from the High Court, where owner Ibrahim Araci was appealing against the decision to allow Fallon to ride Aidan O’Brien’s Recital in the Derby on Saturday (Sunday AEST) – having allegedly broken a “promise” to partner his colt Native Khan.
Araci is using Murtagh as a substitute and his exhibition of frontrunning on Dancing Rain made it one-nil to the Irishman over his compatriot, who could not find the three-quarters of a length he needed.
Another irony to the increasingly complicated tale was that Murtagh is in his first season since leaving his position with O’Brien, who is also the handler of Wonder Of Wonders.
Dancing Rain improved an already enviable record for trainer William Haggas who won the Derby 15 years ago with his one and only runner Shaamit, and this was the first time one of his fillies had contested the other Epsom Classic.
Always one to err on the side of caution, Haggas and the owners felt she could make her presence felt despite offering a record of one win in a Newbury maiden from three starts.
Murtagh’s involvement was the deciding factor as he assumed his role from the start to provide a sluggish pace and had the guile to make an early kick for glory three furlongs (600m) from home.
Dancing Rain, sent off at 20-1, took it from there and absorbed everything Wonder Of Wonders threw at her while Izzi Top, who beat the winner in a Listed race at Newbury last time, was four lengths further back.
Blue Bunting, the 1000 Guineas winner and 9-4 favourite, took fourth place with Frankie Dettori banned for 10 days, including two days of Royal Ascot, for failing to ride out for third.
Murtagh, three times a winner of the Derby but never before an Oaks, said: “I knew Group Ones were going to be hard to come by this year but you get a name as a go-to man and thankfully I got it.
“William rang me up a couple of weeks ago to see if I could ride but I didn’t know if I would be needed by John Oxx at the Curragh. It was only last Tuesday I knew I could ride.
“I was delighted to take it. You need to be in the big races and you need to be on the animals to come out on top – thankfully I was on a good one today.”
Dancing Rain actually broke the leg of Haggas’ wife Maureen, a daughter of the legendary Lester Piggott, when she was putting the filly through practice in the stalls.
Haggas himself was hoarse after the race but managed to offer a few words, explaining: “History will tell you that was a fantastic ride.”
PA AAP TURF
