Ylang Ylang wins at Leopardstown
Ylang Ylang wins at Leopardstown

Betfred Oaks: Aidan O'Brien set to run two


Ylang Ylang and Rubies Are Red could both represent Aidan O'Brien in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom.

The former won the Fillies' Mile at two and has been favourite for the Epsom Classic after running on into fifth in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas while Rubies Are Red flew home to finish second from a seemingly impossible position in Saturday's trial at Lingfield.

The trainer said: “We weren’t sure whether Ylang Ylang would get the trip as she was keen and that is why her disappointing runs came in the middle. When we got her back and taught her how to relax she was like a middle-distance filly and that is what she was like in the Guineas as well.

“We were very happy with her in the Guineas. We thought going to the Guineas that she was an Oaks filly given the way she had been working and that is how she ran. Ryan was very happy with her. He let her find her feet and he felt she came home very well.

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“She won her first two races and then on her next two runs was a little bit keen and disappointed. Her run in the Moyglare was a shocker. She was able to reverse it when she got into the right mindset and I imagine some of the fillies that were behind her in the Guineas were ahead of her in the Moyglare, so it’s amazing the way things can swing around.

Rubies Are Red is unusual in that she is a sister to Found (the 2016 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner). She had a run last year and surprised us – she was third and then this year she went to Leopardstown and one of Joseph’s beat her.

“The plan had been to go to Lingfield so rather than going for another maiden we stuck with the plan. Ryan said she was very green at Lingfield and he nursed her. Because of that, she got a long way back but when he straightened her up she really came home well.

“She is definitely an Oaks-type filly. Her running style is like Found’s in that she takes her time and comes late.”


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