Marvellous all the rage for Investec Oaks

The gamble on Marvellous for the Investec Oaks following her success in the Irish Guineas is showing now signs of abating, and the Aidan O’Brien trained filly is now the clear 7/2 second favourite with Coral for the fillies’ classic on Friday, June 6th.

The daughter of Galileo came in for heaps of praise from jockey Ryan Moore after beating Lightning Thunder by three lengths in the Group 1 mile contest at the Curragh.

The Olly Stevens trained runner-up, narrowly beaten by Miss France in the Newmarket equivalent, went off the 100-30 favourite and led going into the final furlong, but could not cope with the winner’s late surge.

Marvellous, who dwelt slightly at the start and was held-up at the rear, won going away at the line in a manner which suggested the extra half mile at Epsom would be well within her compass.

It was also just her third start, and although Marvellous handled the testing conditions better ground looks sure to suit her even better.

Having been availble to back at 20/1 with Coral before the Irish 1000 Guineas, Marvellous was initially cut to 8/1 after the success.

That was quickly snapped up, and after being cut into 6/1, the support has continued to come and she is now trading at 7/2.

Speaking after the race, Moore said: “You have to be very pleased, it was only her third run, in deep ground. She was drawn towards the outside and was a long way back. She had to do it the hard way, she passed nearly the whole field and you’d have to say it was a really good performance. I’m sure she’d be a better filly on nicer ground.”

The winning trainer added: “With Marvellous, the plan was to come here and then on to Epsom. She’s a nice, compact filly and I don’t think she’d have any problems handling Epsom.”

Marvellous will be bidding to give O’Brien his fifth winner in the Investec Oaks, with the Ballydoyle handler having last been successful with Was in 2012.

Judged on her Curragh success she looks a major player for the 1m 4f contest, for which the John Gosden trained Taghrooda remains Coral’s 9/4 favourite.