Was pulls away to ensure more Classic delight for O’Brien

Aidan O’Brien maintained his 100 per cent record in British Classics this season when Was won a rather untidy renewal of the Investec Oaks at Epsom.

The 20-1 chance was ridden positively by Seamie Heffernan in the early stages of the mile-and-a-half contest, just tracking the early pace set by Nayarra, with stablemate Twirl also well to the fore. Leading fancy Vow ranged up to make a race of it at the top of the home straight, but Was quickened best of all against the far rail to take top honours by a neck. Hughie Morrison’s Shirocco Star ran a stormer to finish second, with 11-4 favourite The Fugue, trained by John Gosden, coming from a long way back to claim third and Vow fourth.

The master of Ballydoyle has now won three out of three Classics in Britain this term after Camelot and Homecoming Queen struck in the 2000 and 1000 Guineas respectively. O’Brien was also securing his fourth Oaks success, with his last victory in the Epsom Classic arriving with Alexandrova in 2006.

O’Brien said: “Seamus gave her a lovely ride, she came on lovely from her first run so we were delighted. She’s a very good looking filly with a great pedigree. He’s a great fellow, Seamus, a world-class jockey. He knows all these horses inside out and nobody deserves it more.”

Heffernan said: “I had enough horse to take two lengths when I needed it. I’ve been very lucky in these colours and I have the owners to thank for trusting me. I was on the bridle and had plenty of petrol. When you have plenty of petrol you can go where you like.”

Even with Kissed having been withdrawn earlier in the day, Was featured among five O’Brien-trained fillies in the race, with 1000 Guineas third Maybe the most fancied. Was won her only juvenile appearance at the Curragh last August, but was beaten into third in last month’s Blue Wind Stakes at Naas.

In a race where it proved sensible to be prominent off a slow gallop, the three-year-old showed plenty of dash to claim a surprise victory. Shirocco Star’s run was particularly meritorious given she was fractious in the preliminaries.

The Fugue and William Buick were short of room in the early stages and ended up further back than ideal, but she finished off her race well and arguably goes down as an unlucky loser. Vow travelled like the winner for a long way and ran a creditable race in fourth. Maybe was also a long way back for much of the journey in the hands of the trainer’s son, Joseph, before staying on for fifth. O’Brien jnr was handed a four-day ban (15-18 June) by the stewards for careless riding. Was now has the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh in July as a possible conditional aim. O’Brien said: “There’s no doubt she’s progressing all the time and she’s a filly who we are really looking forward to. It [the Irish Oaks] is possible, but we need to let the boys speak during the week.”

Maybe could revert to a mile for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot later in the month. O’Brien said: “She ran well, but a mile and a quarter might be as far as she wants to go. She might even go back [in trip] to the Coronation – she has a miler’s pace.”