Waters Could Be Oaks-Bound

Virginia Waters is a best-priced 4-1 for the Vodafone Oaks after helping Aidan O´Brien and Kieren Fallon complete a famous double at Newmarket on Sunday.

The UltimatePoker.com 1000 Guineas had been the only British Classic to have eluded the master of Ballydoyle.

But the 12-1 shot put that right with a spectacular success, coming hot on the heels of stablemate Footstepsinthesand´s win in the colts´ equivalent 24 hours earlier.

The daughter of Kingmambo flew late under Fallon to leave Maids Causeway toiling two and a half lengths back in second, with Vista Bella staying on well to finish a further half-length away in third.

With the winner owned like Footstepsinthesand by Michael Tabor and Sue Magnier, Virginia Waters´ success meant that for the first time since 1942, the winners of both 1000 and 2000 Guineas were representing the same connections.

O´Brien revealed that Virginia Waters could well go to Epsom on June 3 with the participation of stablemate Kitty O´Shea looking ever more doubtful.

'I´ll speak to Kieren but she is out of a Sadler´s Wells mare and is probably bred to stay the mile and a half,' he said.

'Kitty O´Shea needs three weeks box rest and she will go to Epsom without a prep run if she goes at all. It´s very hard to say at the moment exactly what the plans will be.'

The winner, who must be supplemented, is a available at 4s with Cashmans and William Hill.

Punters wanting the security blanket of betting with a run can take 9-4 with Totesport, while one backer will be sitting pretty having taken some pre-season 200-1 with VCbet about O´Brien-trained horses winning all five Classics in 2005.

Fallon was all smiles as he collected the winner´s trophy for the second day running.

'She´s a fabulous filly and has been going the right way,' he said.

'I don´t think I´ve ever been travelling so well in a Classic in my life.

Russian Rhythm travelled well all the way (in this race in 2003) but this filly travelled even better and the way she has picked up and gone away is amazing.

'I really liked her when she won at Leopardstown, she really quickened then and she´s done it again here.

'I really asked he to run going down into the dip and she quickened and didn´t stop.'

Fallon´s success once again put the rider, who moved to join O´Brien´s yard only two months ago, in the spotlight.

'It´s going the right way,' he said. 'All I want to do is keep riding winners.

'I know I´m not going to be champion in England and probably not in Ireland either but to win a Classic... to win two Classics, you build your season around it.

'You couldn´t ask for a better start to the season but it´s only the start and I need to keep on working to make sure that it continues.

'All I am concentrating on is working with the team and it´s a great team at Ballydoyle.

'I´m enjoying the game again whereas I was starting to get a bit stale at the end of last season. I needed a break and a fresh start.

'When you´re riding good horses all the time it´s just a joy to go in.'

O´Brien was fulsome in his praise for Fallon.

'He´s totally committed - an unbelievable horseman and a great jockey,' said the trainer. 'He minded the horses when the ground was bad in Ireland this month and he is an asset to the team.

'This is great for all the lads, they´ve put in a lot of effort. You do your best every season - sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn´t, but it´s great when it does.

'Kieren´s just putting it all together.'

The humid conditions failed to prevent Maids Causeway from turning in the performance of her life.

The Barry Hills-trained filly needed to be washed down more than once in the paddock before the race as she sweated up in the heat, her chestnut coat turning white.

Hills said: 'She ran a great race but was beaten by a better horse. The winner has gone by and won in a stride or two and she could be very good. But we beat the rest fair and square.

'I´ll consider the Irish 1000 and the Coronation Stakes now. I´d like to run her over a mile and a quarter at some stage but I´d like to do it in the second half of the year.

'She´s not in the Oaks or the Diane (French Oaks) and I´m pleased, although she could be supplemented.

'If we play the shots right we could come back here and maybe win the Champion Stakes.'

? PA Sport