Irish Oaks: You Got To Me wins Crouch's first Classic
Crouch saw off Aidan O’Brien’s 3-1 favourite Content for victory
Saturday, 20 July 2024
You Got To Me claimed a thrilling Irish Oaks at The Curragh victory to give jockey Hector Crouch his first Classic and Group 1 success, writes Elise Hamersley.
The Ralph Beckett trained filly made her way through traffic nicely, bursting through the centre for the final two furlongs.
A skilful ride from Crouch saw off Aidan O’Brien’s 3-1 favourite Content in the closing stages for his biggest career success to date.
Crouch said: “You get into racing, and you dream of days like this.
“It takes an awful lot to get here so a massive shock really!
“She’s a horse that I’ve always had a lot of faith in, I’ve always thought she was very good.
“She probably hadn’t quite lived up to it yet and for her to go and prove me right on the biggest stage, not only my first Group 1, my first Classic.
“It’s a really unbelievable feeling.”
You Got To Me finished fourth in both the English Oaks and Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot earlier in the year.
But Crouch praised the three-year-old’s ability to settle well today despite getting knocked coming out of the stalls.
He said: “I thought the track would suit her better, we think she’s better on better ground, but she just did everything wrong at Ascot she couldn’t possibly finish off doing that.
“I’m just delighted for Ralph and the team. A massive amount of work has gone into her to get her to this point.
“That was the best she’s raced for me relaxing wise and I’d like to think we’re not done yet.”
Britain’s Beckett is a two-time winner of the Oaks at Epsom but now celebrates his first Irish Oaks success after Bluestocking was pipped to the post in last year’s edition by O’Brien’s Savethelastdance.
Beckett said: “(Last year) was a tough day so it was great to get this filly to do it today.
“I’m not sure any of us expected it to happen like that but that makes it all the sweeter.
“We only really changed one thing, we put the tongue strap on her and just gave her something else to think about.
“That made the difference today, I think.
“Our plan was to be much more forward, but (Crouch) didn’t panic when he had to resort to plan B.
“He had to battle for every pocket and for every bit of room. That’s her she’s a battler.”
In the next race of the day O’Brien picked up another Group 2 success as Tower of London triumphed in the Comer Group International Curragh Cup under the guidance of Ryan Moore.
Moore claimed a further Group 2 on Believing for George Boughey in the Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes.
The Ralph Beckett trained filly made her way through traffic nicely, bursting through the centre for the final two furlongs.
A skilful ride from Crouch saw off Aidan O’Brien’s 3-1 favourite Content in the closing stages for his biggest career success to date.
Crouch said: “You get into racing, and you dream of days like this.
“It takes an awful lot to get here so a massive shock really!
“She’s a horse that I’ve always had a lot of faith in, I’ve always thought she was very good.
“She probably hadn’t quite lived up to it yet and for her to go and prove me right on the biggest stage, not only my first Group 1, my first Classic.
“It’s a really unbelievable feeling.”
You Got To Me finished fourth in both the English Oaks and Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot earlier in the year.
But Crouch praised the three-year-old’s ability to settle well today despite getting knocked coming out of the stalls.
He said: “I thought the track would suit her better, we think she’s better on better ground, but she just did everything wrong at Ascot she couldn’t possibly finish off doing that.
“I’m just delighted for Ralph and the team. A massive amount of work has gone into her to get her to this point.
“That was the best she’s raced for me relaxing wise and I’d like to think we’re not done yet.”
Britain’s Beckett is a two-time winner of the Oaks at Epsom but now celebrates his first Irish Oaks success after Bluestocking was pipped to the post in last year’s edition by O’Brien’s Savethelastdance.
Beckett said: “(Last year) was a tough day so it was great to get this filly to do it today.
“I’m not sure any of us expected it to happen like that but that makes it all the sweeter.
“We only really changed one thing, we put the tongue strap on her and just gave her something else to think about.
“That made the difference today, I think.
“Our plan was to be much more forward, but (Crouch) didn’t panic when he had to resort to plan B.
“He had to battle for every pocket and for every bit of room. That’s her she’s a battler.”
In the next race of the day O’Brien picked up another Group 2 success as Tower of London triumphed in the Comer Group International Curragh Cup under the guidance of Ryan Moore.
Moore claimed a further Group 2 on Believing for George Boughey in the Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes.