The green light has been given to Confidential Lady to try to complete a classic double in Sunday's Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh.
Last month's winner of the French Oaks will be declared at today's final forfeit stage and will attempt the mile-and-a-half distance for the first time.
"Confidential Lady runs in the Irish Oaks and we hope she goes well," confirmed her trainer, Mark Prescott, yesterday although that didn't result in any significant change to the betting for the weekend classic.
Confidential Lady remains a general 6 to 1 shot for the Oaks with the runaway Epsom winner Alexandrova still a long odds-on shot to complete her own classic double.
Michael Kinane, twice an Irish Oaks winner already, has been snapped up for the ride on board the Ribblesdale runner-up Scottish Stage. The Ballymacoll Stud-owned filly will be the sole Michael Stoute-trained runner after Short Skirt was ruled out because of the likely fast ground conditions. Stoute is a six-time winner of the Irish Oaks having first collected with Fair Salinia who was promoted to first place in the stewards room in 1978.
In contrast Aidan O'Brien is in pursuit of a first success in the race but as well as Alexandrova the champion trainer could also be represented by Kushnarenkovo and Fermion.
With Kieren Fallon riding Mountain in this evening's Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp, O'Brien will call on the services of Séamus Heffernan for the newcomer Yellowstone in the mile maiden at Cork. However, those looking for more attractive odds could do worse then examine the claims of the Dermot Weld-trained Golden Legacy in the opening seven-furlong handicap.
This filly was a Group Three winner for Richard Fahey in England where her Group One form included a run behind Virginia Waters in last year's 1,000 Guineas and being beaten less than a length in the 2004 Cheveley Park Stakes.
Her first run for Weld was at the Curragh over Derby weekend but a bad draw ruined her chance behind Taqseem. At anywhere near her best she would have a big shout off a mark of 94. With Shane Gorey taking 5lb off, and Weld also running the topweight Bobs Pride, it could be punters who end up shouting her home.
The high-class filly Alexander Alliance returns to action in the six-furlong race at Fairyhouse and she can regain the winning thread after a disappointing effort in the Newmarket Guineas where her chance was ruined by soft ground.
IRISH OAKS BETTING: (Paddy Power): 2-5 Alexandrova, 9-2 Scottish Stage, 6 Confidential Lady, 7 Mont Etoile, 14 Rising Cross, 20 Arosa and Kushnarenkovo, 40 bar.
