THE Aidan O'Brien-trained Peeping Fawn, runner-up in the English Oaks and third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, is taken to reverse Epsom placings with Light Shift, Henry Cecil's supplementary entry, in this afternoon's Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh.
Kieren Fallon's mount showed she has improved again since then with success in another Group 1 event, the Pretty Polly Stakes at this venue two weeks ag, o and holds more appeal than the majority of her rivals in this rain-softened ground.
Peeping Fawn has been remarkably progressive and has gone from strength to strength since winning a Naas maiden two months ago, following up her third placing in the Irish 1,000 Guineas with another fine effort at Epsom just five days later.
The daughter of Danehill was beaten half a length into second place by Light Shift on that occasion and proved she can handle soft ground when easily accounting for Speciosa and West Wind in the Pretty Polly Stakes.
Light Shift, who is unbeaten in her three outings this season, also renews rivalry with All My Loving and Four Sins, who finished third and fourth behind her at Epsom.
Ted Durcan's mount is bidding to become the 12th filly to complete the English/ Irish Oaks double and All My Loving, who will be ridden by Irish Derby hero Seamus Heffernan, has franked the form in the interim by chasing home Silkwood in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Light Shift would be a very popular winner here for her trainer, but Peeping Fawn is fancied to have her measure today and give Fallon his third Group 1 success of the season.
Racing at the Curragh yesterday was abandoned to ensure today's star-studded programme goes ahead and the Ladbrokes Rockingham Handicap and Keeneland International Stakes have both been transferred to this afternoon's session to make up an eight race card.
The five furlong Rockingham Handicap is always very keenly-contested and this afternoon's line-up is no exception. Michael Halford's recent course and distance winner Snaefell is the one that appeal here and he gets the vote to take the spoils in Johnny Murtagh's hands.
The Tommy Stack-trained Myboycharlie, owned by a syndicate that includes soccer star Teddy Sheringham, will be fancied to follow-up his Derby weekend victory at the Curragh with further success in the Dubai Duty Free Anglesey Stakes. The well-regarded colt has inform jockey Wayne Lordan in the saddle, and connections are hoping he could develop into a contender for the National Stakes.
Aidan O'Brien made four entries for the Anglesey Stakes, including the onceraced Lucifer Sam who sidesteps the Group 3 event in favour of a drop in class in the Jebel Ali Stables & Racecourse EBF Maiden. The seven-furlong race was won last year by Teofilo and Lucifer Sam should be capable of stepping up on his debut effort when fifth behind Lisvale over this course to take the honours for Ballydoyle.
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