Following a triumphant week at the Galway festival, Joseph O’Brien looks set to make history in Germany this Sunday with a potential win in the Group One arena. O’Brien has entered Je Zous, a filly, in the renowned German Oaks, known as the Preis der Diana, in Dusseldorf. No Irish-trained horse has yet won this Classic one and a half mile race.
The filly is set to be handled by Bauyrzhan Murzabayev, a Kazakh jockey who has previously held the title of Germany’s champion jockey four times before transitioning to work under renowned French trainer Andre Fabre. In a field of 16 runners, Je Zous will start from stall number 11, a disadvantage due to the narrow nature of the Dusseldorf track.
Je Zous performed commendably at Naas Group Three, attaining third place in May, before landing fifth place in Royal Ascot’s Ribblesdale Stakes. Among her competitors are British-trained horses, Lingua Franca trained by Mark Prescott and Darnation trained by Karl Burke, who managed a win in the German 1,000 Guineas at the same venue earlier in the season.
In the history of the ‘Diana’, only Britain’s Miss Yoda (in 2020) and Dancing Rain (in 2011) have clinched victories. The French contender Bubble Gum, who secured sixth place behind Sparkling Plenty in the previous month’s Prix De Diane at Chantilly, is set to be ridden by Jamie Spencer. The race has been scheduled at 2:45 in Irish local time.
31-year-old O’Brien, who recently celebrated victories in both the Mile handicap and the Galway Hurdle at Ballybrit, already boasts a noteworthy international career, with his Melbourne Cup victories under his belt- one with Rekindling and the other with Twilight Payment. O’Brien has also secured triumphs in France and America, where he won the 2021 Saratoga Derby with State Of Rest.
This high-profile race is now the attraction for his father, Aidan, who is preparing for the $600,000 competition this Saturday with Diego Velazquez and under the guidance of Ryan Moore.
The apple of Ireland’s eye in the extended nine-furlong race is poised to lead the charge from the fourth stall out of eight as the 2-1 Morning Line favourite in America. Prior disappointments in the French Derby and the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot did not deter Diego Velazquez who stunned in the Meld Stakes at Leopardstown in his latest outing. The colt, bred by Frankel, may face stiff competition from Charlie Appleby’s Legend Of Time, setting off at 8:21 Irish time.
This weekend’s sporting scene remains abuzz with Irish international involvement, notably at Deaauville on Sunday. Kieran Cotter, the renowned trainer from Co Laois, fields his hardened competitor Matilda Picotte in the Prix Maurice de Gheest. Riding the four-year-old filly will be Ronan Whelan; the horse having previously participated in Saudi Arabia in February and recently trailing Mitbaahy at the Greenlands during Guineas weekend at the Curragh.
In the 3.07 race, Matilda Picotte will be one among 16 competitors, vying to end the 23-year Irish drought in a race last claimed by an Irish horse, with Spencer guiding the Ballydoyle entrant King Charlemagne.
The regularly appointed jockey for Matilda Picotte, Oisín Murphy, has been reassigned to ride the supplemented Flora Of Bermuda for Andrew Balding. Following his ride on Legend Of Time, William Buick will head to Normandy to lead the July Cup champion Mill Stream.