Sea Of Class turns over Forever Together in thrilling fillies' Classic

She is just pure class. William Haggas and James Doyle upset the Ballydoyle party with a late run to deny Forever Together in the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Saturday, completing a memorable hat-trick for the jockey on a rare foray to Ireland.

Held up in last under a patient ride from the supremely confident Doyle, Sea Of Class was angled out with a couple of furlongs to go and wore down the Oaks heroine yards before the line to score by a neck.

Doyle, riding his second Irish Classic winner, always seemed likely to get there and did not have to pick up his whip once on the lightly raced daughter of Sea The Stars.

He said: "She was lovely and relaxed. When I gave her a little niggle at the top of the straight she took off.

Pipped to the post: Sea Of Class (right) heads Forever Together at the post at the CurraghCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"She was very good today. I probably went a bit soon on her when she won her second Listed race at Newbury last time."

The big-race winner was the final leg of a Group-race treble for Doyle, who added: "It's unbelievable. I was looking forward to riding her, and obviously with my commitments with Godolphin it was whether or not it would happen, and it was nice to be able to get here.

"For things to go as smooth as they have, it's a dream."

For Haggas it was a first Irish Classic success and a second Group 1 victory at the Curragh this year following Urban Fox's success in the Pretty Polly Stakes last month, a race in which Forever Together had also finished second.

The Newmarket trainer said: "I told James to be brave but I didn't think he'd be that brave.

"We were expecting a big run as she's a very good filly. I'm a fledgling trainer for Mrs Tsui and it's great to win a race like this for her."

After Sea Of Class, who did not run as a juvenile, had won her first Listed race at Newbury, she was in the frame for the Oaks, with the owners Ling and Christopher Tsui inclined to run at Epsom, but her trainer less so. Ultimately it was the soft ground there that was said to be the deciding factor in swerving the race.

James Doyle with trainer William Haggas after the victory of Sea Of ClassCredit: Patrick McCann

"I wasn't keen on going to Epsom with her and when I got around to changing my mind, it rained," reflected Haggas. "So somebody was looking out for us.

"She stays well and has a good turn of foot. There is a good chance she will stay in training next season and plans are fluid. We'll look at maybe the Yorkshire Oaks or the Prix Vermeille."

The Irish Oaks, which was commentator Des Scahill's final call in an Irish Classic – he retires on Sunday – was won last year by Enable, and Sea Of Class could well meet her, either at York or Longchamp.

Sea Of Class was cut for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, which was won last year by Enable, to between a 16-1 and 20-1 chance (from as big as 66).

Result, replay and analysis

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