Injured Fallon misses out on Fawn's romp

A fall from Derby runner-up Eagle Mountain in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp on Saturday evening cost Kieren Fallon a winning Classic ride in the Irish Oaks on Peeping Fawn at The Curragh.

Johnny Murtagh, so often the supersub for the Coolmore team, produced the filly with a telling run 250 yards from home to surge three and a half lengths clear of Light Shift, reversing the Vodafone Oaks placings and denying Henry Cecil a third Epsom/Curragh Oaks double.

All My Loving, third at Epsom, occupied the same position yesterday, getting a little closer to Light Shift on rain-softened going which suited her.

Peeping Fawn's odds drifted right out to 4-1 as rumours spread that Aidan O'Brien's filly was coming into season.

Four Sins and Fran Berry went off in the lead, closely pursued by Athenian Way and All My Loving.

But just as Ted Durcan, on Light Shift, was poised to take the lead 300 yards from home, there was Murtagh stalking him on the eventual winner who has clearly improved since Epsom having won the Pretty Polly Stakes in the interim.

O'Brien said: "She showed in season this morning, but she was in good form and did the same when she won her maiden. We might have a look at Goodwood for the Nassau Stakes now, and, hopefully we'll have Alexandrova (winner of last year's English and Irish Oaks) for the Yorkshire Oaks.

"All My Loving is a very tough filly who has run very well."

Murtagh, landing his fourth Irish Oaks, said: "Ted seemed to be going well on Light Shift and I was always going well too. To pick up a spare ride on a horse like this is just great."

Cecil, denied a repeat of the Oaks double achieved by his fillies Diminuendo and Ramruma, said: "She's obviously better on better ground, and she struggled all the way. Having said that, she ran very well, but on that ground, the better filly won on the day. I hope there will be another day."