The win gave trainer Aidan O’Brien his eighth victory in the Group 1 contest over a mile and a half, having previously won with Shahtoush (1998), Imagine (2001), Alexandrova (2006), Was (2012), Qualify (2015), Minding (2016) and Forever Together (2018).

The winning handler said of his latest Epsom Oaks winner:

“Before the Guineas we were aware that it was a little bit short for her – we always thought she would get a mile and a quarter well, and obviously she is by Galileo and has a lovely, long, low action. As you see she is very genuine, sticks her head out and really tries very hard, so we were always hoping that the extra distance was going to improve her, and we were absolutely delighted with the result.”

Aidan O’Brien went on to heap special praise on his latest double winner, stating:

“Love is very special. It is very hard to say you would ever have a better filly than her; we saw what she did in the Guineas. I don’t know how far she won that by, three or four lengths, and she doubled it today, and it is only her second run of the year.”

The winning jockey Ryan Moore, winning the Investec Oaks for the third time following Snow Fairy (2010) and Minding (2016), said of 2020 winner Love:

“I couldn’t have been happier with Love, and I don’t think she could have been any more impressive today. You never expect to win an Oaks – I don’t know how far she won by [it was nine lengths], but it felt like a very long way. She was exceptional today, and hopefully she has got plenty to look forward to in the future. She would be a threat to anything.”

The Séamie Heffernan-ridden Ennistymon was nine lengths behind her stable companion, with O’Brien very satisfied with his runner-up:.

“Ennistymon ran a very good race. The Ascot form stood up very well. We felt after Ascot [when second to Frankly Darling] that we would be happy to take the winner on again. It worked out how we thought it might. She was back a bit at Ascot and Frankly Darling got an easier time out in front and that changed today.”

The Investec Oaks (Group 1)

3.40pm, Epsom Downs, Saturday, 4 July, 2020. 1m 4f 6y. £250,000 Total Prize Fund.

1 (5) Love (IRE) (Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier) Aidan O’Brien IRE 3-9-00 11/10 Fav

2 (4) Ennistymon (IRE) (Evie Stockwell) Aidan O’Brien IRE 3-9-00 Séamie Heffernan 6/1

3 (3) Frankly Darling (Anthony Oppenheimer) John Gosden 3-9-00 Frankie Dettori 7/4

4 (6) Queen Daenerys (IRE) (H.H. SH Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa) Roger Varian 3-9-00 William Buick 25/1

5 (1) Passion (IRE) (Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith) Aidan O’Brien IRE 3-9-00 Pádraig Beggy 16/1

6 (2) Bharani Star (GER) (Phoenix Thoroughbred Limited) Peter Chapple-Hyam 3-9-00 Oisín Murphy 50/1

7 (8) Gold Wand (IRE) (Mohamed Khalid Abdulrahim) Roger Varian 3-9-00 Andrea Atzeni 22/1

8 (7) Tiempo Vuela (A E Oppenheimer and Sophie) John Gosden 3-9-00 Martin Harley 100/1

Time: 2m 34.06s (race record for Investec Oaks, previous best 2m 34.13s set by Enable in 2017)
Distances: 9, ¾, 5, hd, 3, 16, 18.

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The Aidan O’Brien-trained Love (Ryan Moore), winner of the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, heads the field of 8 in the 1m 4f race, as she steps up to the middle distance trip for the first time.

The daughter of Galileo bids to become the 48 filly to completed the Qipco 1000 Guineas-Investec Oaks double, with another O’Brien-trained runner, Minding, being the most recent to achieve the feat in 2016.

As well as the Love, O’Brien also saddles the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes second Ennistymon (Séamie Heffernan) and Passion (Pádraig Beggy), as the Tipperary-based handler bids to improve on his record as the most successful current trainer in the Investec Oaks with seven victories – Shahtoush (1998), Imagine (2001), Alexandrova (2006), Was (2012), Qualify (2015), Minding (2016) and Forever Together (2018).

British champion trainer John Gosden has won two of the latest three runnings of the Investec Oaks – Enable (2017) and Anapurna last year, and on Saturday he and Frankie Dettori again combine, as Frankly Darling, an impressive winner of the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes (ahead of O’Brien’s Ennistymon) over a mile and a half at Royal Ascot, leads Gosden’s challenge.

Gosden has also entered the Lope De Vega filly Tiempo Vuela (Martin Harley). She was a winner on her only juvenile start at Newcastle in 2019 but was unplaced when running freely in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on 7th June.

Trainer Roger Varian is double handed in the race with Gold Wand (Andrea Atzeni) and Queen Daenerys (William Buick). Gold Wand, a daughter of 2015 Investec Derby winner Golden Horn, won a 10-furlong maiden at Newbury on 11th June while Queen Daenerys was runner-up on her return to action in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on 7th June.

Completing the entries is Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes fourth Bharani Star for Peter Chapple-Hyam, with Oisín Murphy on board the Sea The Stars filly. The trainer, who is based in Newmarket, has had seven previous Investec Oaks runners, with his best result being third with Oakmead in 1993

The Investec Oaks (Group 1)

3.40pm, Epsom Downs, Saturday, 4 July, 2020. 1m 4f 6y. £250,000 Total Prize Fund.

Stalls number in brackets

1) (2) Bharani Star (GER) (Phoenix Thoroughbred Limited) Peter Chapple-Hyam 3-9-00 Oisín Murphy

2) (4) Ennistymon (IRE) (Evie Stockwell) Aidan O’Brien IRE 3-9-00 Séamie Heffernan

3) (3) Frankly Darling (Anthony Oppenheimer) John Gosden 3-9-00 Frankie Dettori

4) (8) Gold Wand (IRE) (Mohamed Khalid Abdulrahim) Roger Varian 3-9-00 Andrea Atzeni

5) (5) Love (IRE) (Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier) Aidan O’Brien IRE 3-9-00 Ryan Moore

6) (1) Passion (IRE) (Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith) Aidan O’Brien IRE 3-9-00 Pádraig Beggy

7) (6) Queen Daenerys (IRE) (H.H. SH Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa) Roger Varian 3-9-00 William Buick

8) (7) Tiempo Vuela (A E Oppenheimer and Sophie) John Gosden 3-9-00 Martin Harley

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Though the Ballydoyle handler had initially suggested Santiago could go next for the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster, speaking to Nick Luck on Racing TV this morning, O’Brien suggested he could instead turn out in the Investec Derby at Epsom next Saturday.

The 14-times winning trainer of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby said:

“It’s very possible (those that ran in Irish Derby could run at Epsom). I spoke to John (Magnier), Michael (Tabor) and Derrick (Smith), the entries are made on Monday so we’ll see what everybody thinks today and tomorrow whether they decide to make an entry or not.”

O’Brien continued:

“We’ll see what they want to do, but it’s not impossible. We’ll see what other horses are going to Epsom. It was unconventional to run them so soon after Ascot, but they came out of the race well and that is why they ran. Nothing is definitely ruled out.”

The Ballydoyle handler also said that Mythical and Amhrán na Bhfiann were in contention for Epsom, along with Russian Emperor, Mogul and Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas second Vatican City. Armory was also mentioned as a possible runner in either the Epsom Derby or the French equivalent.

In discussing possible runners in the Investec Oaks, Aidan O’Brien said that both Qipco 1000 Guineas winner Love and Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas victor Peaceful were both currently being aimed at Epsom, but both may not partake in the Epsom Group 1. He stated that both Ennistymon and Passion, second and third in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot last week, are also possibilities.

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