Ballydoyle big guns set for Curragh clash with Warm Heart and Savethelastdance both on target for Irish Oaks

The Ballydoyle big guns are both on course for Saturday's Juddmonte Irish Oaks as Aidan O'Brien is set to be represented by Savethelastdance and Warm Heart in his quest to become the most successful trainer in the Classic's history. 

O'Brien is locked on six winners apiece with Sir Michael Stoute, but victory at the Curragh will send him out on his own and his intention is to let Epsom Oaks runner-up Savethelastdance and Ribblesdale winner Warm Heart take each other on. 

Indeed, the master trainer insisted we should not forget Be Happy either as the Lingfield Oaks Trial runner-up has also been given the go-ahead to form a three-pronged attack from Ballydoyle. 

O'Brien said on Monday: "We're thinking of running Savethelastdance and Warm Heart at the moment, and Be Happy as well."

Savethelastdance has not been seen since being beaten when sent off the odds-on favourite in the Oaks at Epsom, where she didn't look at home on the track or on the fast ground and O'Brien thinks you will see a different filly on Saturday. 

He said: "Savethelastdance ran her heart out at Epsom and seems to be in good form. It will be different ground at the Curragh compared to what she ran on at Epsom and I think the track is going to suit her a lot better as well. It was always in our heads to go straight to the Irish Oaks after Epsom."

Savethelastdance: chased home Soul Sister when favourite for the Oaks on her last startCredit: Alan Crowhurst

The Ribblesdale Stakes was supposed to be all about Al Asifah, but Warm Heart stole the show and stormed to an emphatic victory. 

O'Brien said of the daughter of Galileo: "Warm Heart is progressing with every run. When she stepped up to a mile and a half for the Ribblesdale, we didn't really know what was going to happen, but she moved up another gear over that trip and we were delighted. She was very strong at the line and it looked like the step up in trip really suited her."

Although yet to win as a three-year-old, O'Brien is convinced we have not seen the best of Be Happy yet. 

He said: "We've always liked her, but she has just been very unlucky. We had her in at Epsom and she just kicked a wall and we were ready to run her somewhere else afterwards and she got an infection in her hind leg. But we've been very happy with her over the last three weeks. She's a filly we've always liked."

Snowfall completed the English-Irish Oaks double in 2021 for O'Brien, but you have to rewind to Seventh Heaven in 2016 for his last winner before that. 

Moore, who has ridden Savethelastdance and Warm Heart on each of their two most recent starts, is chasing a third win in the race after scoring on Snow Fairy in 2010 and Snowfall two years ago.

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