Willow (right, blue & orange)© Photo Healy Racing
Naas' Irish Stallion Farms EBF Oaks Trial was contested 24 minutes late due an injury to jockey Gary Carroll, with Epsom Oaks also-ran Willow winning under Seamie Heffernan, who was twice summoned from the bench to ride.
Carroll received a fall from Holly Golightly which reared and slipped-up before the start of the race. Last week's Royal Ascot winning jockey had however regained consciousness and was moving when taken to Naas General Hospital.
Heffernan was initially declared to ride High Heels but Aidan O'Brien's filly was withdrawn, off feed, at 11.28am with the jockey switching to stablemate La Joconde. That switch lasted until 5.14pm, however, as La Joconde was taken out due to a change in going, with Heffernan moving to Willow, last of 14 in June 4th's Epsom Oaks.
In today's 1m2f race Willow, a daughter of American Pharoah, fought well and held off the challenge of runner-up La Petite Coco by half a length.
Heffernan later joked “I had three rides in the race and I ended up winning it!
“She won nicely. We thought she was a real good filly at the start of the year and it's nice to win a nice race with her and hopefully she can progress.
“She arrived (on the scene) late last year so possibly she is going to arrive and be good late on this year.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
