Tranquil Lady now 7-1 from 25s for Oaks after breezing through Blue Wind test

Saturday: Naas

When you have a Cazoo Oaks like the one we have this year, where an Enable, a Love or a Snowfall has yet to surface, it is going to be tough for Joseph O'Brien to turn down a crack at the Classic with Tranquil Lady.

Paddy Power slashed her to 7-1 (from 25) after she breezed through the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Blue Wind Stakes under Dylan Browne McMonagle. There were four lengths between herself and Lily Pond at the line and it was a foregone conclusion all the way up the home straight. It was very easy on the eye.

O'Brien was burrowing his way towards the Curragh with Tranquil Lady but may have to divert to Epsom now.

The winning trainer said: "The Oaks is definitely a conversation we'll have with Richard [Ryan, Teme Valley racing manager] and Jim [Cockburn] now. She popped her head up today as if she should be going there.

"We kind of had the Curragh in our minds but we have to certainly talk about it now."

'He's massive and has buckets of pace'

Seamie Heffernan is a pretty good judge and when he says something is "massive and has buckets of pace" you simply have to take note.

The horse Heffernan was talking about was Little Big Bear, now 6-1 co-favourite for the Coventry after winning the opening sprint maiden by three lengths with the minimum of fuss.

"He's a massive colt with plenty of boot. I was always comfortable. He was the class horse of the race and he finished well.

"He has buckets of pace but he relaxes, he ticks all the boxes," Heffernan said.

Murtagh and Aga Khan team up

Johnny Murtagh had many memorable days in the famous Aga Khan silks and he trained his first winner in those colours when Shartash edged out Age Of Kings in the Irish Stallions Farms EBF Race.

Murtagh said: "He's tough, he's hardy and we'll stick him up into stakes class now."

Big plans for Banner

Phillip McAuliffe has a very smart sprinter on his hands and the owner-breeder of Drombeg Banner was present to witness the speedy son of Sparspangledbanner make it two out of two for the season in the concluding Irish Racing Writers Premier Handicap.

Winning trainer Ken Condon said: "He has a very high cruising speed and I think his future is over five. I would think his future would probably be in stakes company now."

Ezine holds on

Odds-on backers were made to sweat in the 7f fillies' maiden as Ezine got tired close home, but the promising three-year-old got the job done and Dermot Weld thinks the best is yet to come.

Weld said: "She's a lovely filly and she just got tired in the last 100 yards. She has lots of ability and we'll try to get some black-type with her next."

Results, replays and analysis

Don't miss the Racing Post Royal Ascot Guide 2022. Only £14.99, the 192-page guide is packed with tips and information for the five-day festival of top-class Flat racing, including profiles of the leading horses and the lowdown on the top trainers and jockeys. Order your copy here or call 01933 304858.