Snow Fairy wins Oaks

Snow Fairy was given a brilliant ride by Ryan Moore to land the Investec Oaks at Epsom for Ed Dunlop.

Supplemented at a cost of £20,000 following success in the Height of Fashion Stakes at Goodwood just over two weeks ago, the 9-1 chance was settled towards the rear by the champion jockey in the early stages.

Meeznah (25-1) came with a withering run in the straight and looked like springing a surprise, but Snow Fairy made rapid headway through the field and finished strongly up the far rail to score by a neck.

Aidan O'Brien's Remember When was back in third.

Moore, recording his first Classic victory, said: "It was a very rough race. We just decided to take her back and give her a chance. There was a lot of bumping around.

"The gaps opened up nicely and she quickened well.

"The pace slackened up in the middle part of the race and allowed us to stay the trip."

Dunlop, who won the Oaks in 2004 with the great Ouija Board, added: "I've lost my voice, it's amazing.

"Thank you to the owner for supplementing her and I thought Ryan gave her a most amazing ride.

"It's Ryan's first Classic winner, so it's a great day.

"We had doubts about staying, but we knew she was very tough and that she can quicken.

"It's an amazing day to win two Oaks, and thanks to my staff for doing a fantastic job. I'm very happy."

Dunlop added: "This brings back memories of Oaks day 2004 and I hope we can do it again one day.

"There weren't that many races to go for after she won at Goodwood.

"We either supplemented her for the Ribblesdale or the Oaks, we decided to go for the Oaks and here we are.

"There was no pressure from the owner and she is a wonderful woman.

"She has a horse with me, one with my brother and a few with my father.

"I knew she would quicken and she had plenty of speed as a two-year-old.

"She has come from last and it was a masterful ride from a masterful jockey.

"This was Ouija Board's big day and there were many more to come after that.

"This is her big day and we'll see what happens next as she's not in any other big races.

"As soon as we'd decided we were going to run in the race, I had a look at what Sir Michael Stoute had and when it was obvious he was going to have nothing, we got straight on to Ryan and he agreed.

"We wanted a great jockey and this is a great day."

The victorious owner-breeder Mrs Cristina Patino said: "Ryan gave her the most extraordinary ride.

"We talked over supplementing her after Goodwood which I didn't even know was a trial for the Oaks. The prize money was there so I put it back in."

David Lanigan, trainer of the runner-up, said: "She was struggling a little for room when they turned in and we had missed that second run that we wanted, but saying that I do think she will improve a lot for the race and we'll have to go to Ireland (Irish Oaks) now."

O'Brien said he was "delighted" with the performance of Remember When, while Angus Gold, racing manager to Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, owner of fourth home Rumoush, said: "Richard Hills' impression was that she didn't handle the cambers and she was struggling to find her feet when he asked her for an effort."

Henry Cecil appeared to have a strong hand as he chased a remarkable ninth Oaks success, but his pair Aviate and Timepiece could only finish seventh and ninth respectively.

"They both didn't come down the hill and Tom (Queally) said Aviate didn't stay," said Cecil.

"They both came into the race very well so I'm very disappointed."