3 minute read
Ralph Beckett’s filly lands a sizeable gamble in the Irish Oaks to give Hector Crouch his first top-level success.
The Ralph Beckett-trained filly was as big as 20/1 on Friday afternoon, but she attracted plenty of support over the course of the weekend and was subsequently sent off a 15/2 chance to claim Classic success.
It was a first triumph in the Irish Classic for trainer Ralph Beckett, who has landed the Epsom equivalent twice and a breakthrough Group 1 and Classic victory for the Newmarket-based jockey Hector Crouch.
You Got To Me won the Lingfield Oaks Trial before going on to finish fourth in both the Epsom Oaks and Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot and although she had to reverse the form with some of her reopposing rivals, Crouch never lost faith in his mount.
"I've always had a tremendous amount of faith in her and when she's good, she's very good," said the winning jockey on Racing TV.
"For her to go and prove me right on the biggest stage, not only my first Group 1 winner but my first Classic, it's a really unbelievable feeling. I can't believe it, it's unbelievable."
You Got To Me found herself seeking room with a couple of furlongs to travel but once the gap appeared, she quickened up smartly in the first-time tongue-tie under Crouch before showing a willing attitude to fend off the fast-finishing 3/1favourite Content, who suffered significant trouble in running.
The winning margin was three-quarters of a length, with the Paddy Twomey-trained Purple Lily (9-1) filling the bronze medal position.
On how the race panned out for him, Crouch added: "I got knocked over coming out of the stall and wanted to go forward. I got a nice enough runaround and was able to edge off the fence with three to run. Got into a position two and a half furlongs down and then it was just a case if I was good enough to hold on and she was every inch good enough. She was very tough and very brave when I needed her."
"I'm delighted for Raph, Valmont and the team at Newsells Park Stud. A massive amount of work has gone into her. Massive congratulations to them."
