Frankie Dettori flies on Blue Bunting

Published on Sunday 17 July 2011 18:40

Frankie Dettori snatched a last-gasp victory on Blue Bunting in the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh yesterday.

The Newmarket 1000 Guineas winner came with a late surge to mug Banimpire on the line and take the fillies' Classic for Godolphin and trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni.

Only fourth in the Investec Oaks at Epsom, Blue Bunting (5-2) justified strong support to turn around Epsom form.

Wonder Of Wonders, the 5-4 favourite, and Laughing Lashes were just behind Banimpire (8-1) in third and fourth.

A trio of outsiders - Amazing Beauty, Hurricane Havoc and Rumh - set the pace with a healthy gap back to Dancing Rain, who headed the chasing pack. Rumh, carrying the Godolphin second colours, took it up turning for home but the major fancies closed in as the race hotted up.

Dancing Rain never looked like adding to her Epsom success and she could not mount a serious challenge in what developed into a wide-open contest.

Several were in with a chance in the final two furlongs and it looked like Banimpire might just follow up her Ribblesdale Stakes success for trainer Jim Bolger and jockey Kevin Manning.

However, the Royal Ascot winner had no answer to Blue Bunting's late thrust that saw her grab victory by a short head as Dettori made amends in style for losing third place at Epsom, where he was easy on his filly in the dying strides and picked up a lengthy suspension.

Dettori said: "That was great. Epsom was a bit of a mess-up but she came here with every chance. I got myself a bit stuck two out. She wasn't going forward for me, so as a last resort I decided to switch her to the outside and that won me the race because once she has found a bit of daylight, she went forward.

"When I was stuck behind other horses I was really struggling. The pace was solid. All the four good ones, we were all together turning for home and the best filly won - mine. She was the only one who came home.

"I didn't know I had won until I passed the line. I had to ask Kevin (Manning on Banimpire] and he told me I had won. The Curragh has been very lucky for me."

Meanwhile, Rasputin looked a winner waiting to happen when third on his debut at Ayr, and he returns to Scotland for the British Stallion Studs Supporting British Racing EBF Maiden today.

Connections went to 45,000 to secure his services at last August's Doncaster sales and, following that initial display, they will be happy enough at this stage that it was money well spent.

The runner-up from that race, Joshua The First, has finished second again since and reopposes at Ayr. But he looks far from straightforward and the feeling is Rasputin will improve past him fairly easily.