Curragh beckons for runaway Musidora winner

10:14am Thursday 15th May 2008

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LUSH Lashes advertised her Classic credentials with a crushing win in the Tattersalls Musidora at York Racecourse.

The 2-1 favourite put in a consummate performance on Knavesmire to take the lion's share of the £60,000 prize fund and was immediately installed as the favourite for the Juddmonte Oakes at Epsom next month.

But the three-year-old may not start on the Surrey Downs, opting instead to take on the Irish Oaks at the Curragh.

With seven of the eight fillies running entered for Epsom, much of the pre-race talk had focused on Dar Re Mi.

But, in the event, she only started third favourite behind Lush Lashes and the Aidan O'Brien-trained Moonstone in the betting.

Following a frantic start which stretched the field, it had looked anyone's race with a couple of furlongs left to travel - with four fillies in a line on the track.

But when Lush Lashes, sixth in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this month, pushed the accelerator she simply stormed away from Cape Amber (9-1) and Dar Re Mi (7-2) to take the honours by five lengths.

Bookies William Hill immediately put her at 6-4 for the Oaks, with a run, but Ger Flynn, Jim Bolger's travelling head groom, indicated that the Irish Oaks might be the more likely target.

"The boss said we are not going to rule anything out. At the moment Epsom and the Curragh are on the cards, but it would be more likely the Curragh," he said.

"But we'll see how she is when we get home.

"It's her second trip over here and we will see how she comes out of the race - see how much the race took out of her, how many kilos she's lost.

"She did it very easy and Kevin (Manning, jockey) was very happy with her. I am delighted she held up the Classic form as well.

"There's a good break between now and the Irish Oaks. Epsom is two-and-a-half, three weeks away. But he (Bolger) said he's not going to rule anything out at the moment. He'll make up his mind.

"She's a very athletic filly and there's no question (of her suitability) for Epsom, so we'll just have to see how she is."