Racing:Was (20-1) was a surprise winner of the Investec Oaks at Epsom for trainer Aidan O'Brien and jockey Seamie Heffernan this afternoon. Well-backed from prices as big as 50-1 in the morning, Was travelled through the race in a good position under Heffernan who stuck to the rail throughout.
As Mick Channon's front-running Nayarra fell away in the straight Was took it up on the inside and stuck on gamely to hold off the late challenges of Shirocco Star (16-1) and The Fugue (11-4 favourite).
Even with Kissed having been withdrawn earlier in the day, Was featured among five O'Brien-trained fillies in the race, with 1000 Guineas third Maybe the most fancied.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 another filly who was a long way back for much of the journey in the hands of the trainer's son, Joseph, before staying on for fifth.