Ballydoyle Honey looks set to start as favourite for the Sporting Press Irish Oaks next week after her exciting victory in the Healthcare & Transport Services Puppy Oaks over 525 yards at Shelbourne Park.
Graham Holland’s bitch got up in a blanket finish, which saw half a length cover the first four home.
Honey kennelmate Skywalker Pearl led to the turn closely followed by Fraser Black’s Droopys Streak and Ballydoyle Honey, who had to check off with nowhere to go.
Ballydoyle Honey was only in fourth place five lengths behind the leader at halfway and had to check again into the third turn.
Off the last turn the race looked between Skywalker Pearl and Droopys Streak, who was within half a length of the leader; however Ballydoyle Honey switched wide off the last turn and came flying down the outside to deny her kennelmate Skywalker Pearl by a short head in 28.44sec.
Droopys Streak was a neck away in third with Honey’s litter sister Urban Gossip in fourth.
This is the second competition that Ballydoyle Honey has won after her victory in the Open Unraced Stake at Clonmel in February.
On the undercard, Laughil Max clocked the fastest time of the year over the Derby course of 550 yards when giving a start and a six length beating to Cox Cup winner Redwood Mick in 29.34sec.
