Ballydoyle Honey broke 28 second for 525 yards at Shelbourne Park for a second time in the quarter finals of the Sporting Press Oaks on Saturday.
Graham Holland’s bitch, who is odds-on outright and went off at 1-4 for the race, was soon clear and she came home over nine lengths clear of Slippery Hanna in 27.95sec.
Holland had a double with Rising Twirl who landed the opening heat.
The daughter of Leeview Jet got away to a flyer and just held the late challenge of Tyrur Mairead by a short head in 28.39sec.
Mairead’s owner and trainer P.J. Fahy has better luck in heat two when his Tyrur Dicky went clear from the opening turn and went on to beat Jumeirah Dancer by two lengths in 28.50sec.
Ballydoyle Honey’s litter sister Urban Gossip got up to score in an exciting third qualifier.
Robert Robert’s bitch looked all over the winner when following the leader Lislevane Swift through the opening turns. She moved up at the third turn and an east victory looked assured but she checked up behind the leader and was relegated to third.
However she recovered well and got up on the line to deny Hovex Princess and Lislevane Swift by a neck and the same in 28.59sec.
Next week’s semi-final draw:
First semi:
1 Ravenswood Emily
2 Piercestown Lucy
3 Lislevane Swift
4 Urban Gossip
5 Awaywithdepixies (m)
6 Tyrur Mairead (w)
Second semi:
1 Jumeirah Dancer
2 Hovex Princess
3 Tyrur Dicky
4 Rising Twirl
5 Slippery Hanna
6 Ballydoyle Honey
