Alexandrova completes Oaks Double

Aidan O'Brien was provided with his first taste of victory in the Darley Irish Oaks when Kieren Fallon steered Alexandrova to a mightily impressive victory in fillies' Classic at The Curragh on Sunday. Sent off the 8-15 favourite, the daughter of Sadler's Wells was held up at the tail-end of the six runner field by Fallon and, when asked to go about her business just over a furlong out, Alexandrova produced an instantaneous turn of foot which settle the contest in a matter of strides, beating the runner-up, Scottish Stage, with far more in hand than the four-length margin of victory. The Ballydoyle filly, who was similarly impressive in the Vodafone Oaks at Epsom on her penultimate start, is now a top-priced 11/1 with VCbet for the King George VI Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot later this month and 20/1 with Blue Square for the Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October. Alexandrova is clearly the best middle-distance filly of her age in training and she wouldn't be out of place against her elders and the boys in the King George but, with the race just twelve days away, it seems more likely that she will probably be next seen at the Ebor meeting at York where she holds entries in the Juddmonte International Stakes and the Yorkshire Oaks. One suspects that the latter race will be the chosen option unless connections decide to wait for the Prix Vermeille before a crack at the Arc. Whatever the case may be, Alexandrova will face her sternest test to date as she is now likely to take on older fillies, among whom the likes of Ouija Board, Pride and Shawanda rank highly. Ballydoyle's likely representative in the King George on July 29 is Dylan Thomas, who is generally a 7/1 chance for the race known as the 'midsummer championship'. He is a best-priced 10/1 withLadbrokes and Paddy Power for the Arc. The Danehill colt routed the opposition in the Budweiser Irish Derby, beating Gentlewave by three and a half lengths, winning with similar authority to that with which Alexandrova landed the fillies' equivalent. With one on his future as a stallion at Coolmore, connections will be keen to land a top mile and a quarter race with Dylan Thomas, therefore his likely programme following the King George will probably take in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 9, en route to the Arc itself.