Racing: O'Brien put in Irish Oaks shade by an old master

Quarter Moon's box must be one of the most florally decorated in racing, but, once again yesterday, it was a bouquet caught rather than one earned that was taken back to Ballydoyle.

Aidan O'Brien's filly – who had been runner-up to Gossamer in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and to Kazzia in the Oaks – became a Classic bridesmaid for the third race in succession when she failed to withstand the late challenge of the 33-1 chance Margarula in her domestic Oaks at the Curragh.

O'Brien may have taken nine Classics in Ireland but this one remains elusive. It was ironic that the man who should deprive him was the tutor who sent him on his way, Jim Bolger, the trainer who first taught O'Brien the rudiments of the game. The Irish Oaks, it seems, was never on the curriculum for O'Brien at Coolcullen.

Maragarula's victory, a second in this contest for her trainer following Give Thanks in 1983, was a wholly family affair. The filly runs in the colours of Bolger's wife, Jackie, and was partnered by her son-in-law Kevin Manning, enjoying his first success in a Classic.

Yet, it was not a victory wholly anticipated by the jockey for much of the journey. His loftiest aspiration was merely to reach the frame. "I dropped her in towards the back to run a big race and hopefully get placed at the finish," Manning admitted. "I told Jim that I thought the extra two furlongs would suit her well after we were a close fourth here last month behind Trash in the Pretty Polly Stakes."

Ballydoyle had dictated all but the last segment of this Classic, as Quarter Moon's stablemates Kournakova and Starbourne bolted to the lead to shape the race for the odds-on favourite. Quarter Moon herself was clamped on the rail in centre field, peering over the rail and appearing more relaxed than she has done in her races thus far this season. Margarula also saved ground, albeit at the very rear of the field.

The parting of the waves came just over two furlongs out, when Quarter Moon poached what appeared to be a decisive advantage.

However, Margarula too found the passage between the Ballydoyle pacemakers and relentlessly set about chasing down the leader. The quarry was first caught and then left a length in arrears.

British challengers may have won the last three Irish Oaks but the best the four-strong battery could manage on this occasion was Lady's Secret's third for Barry Hills.

Margarula now goes for the Yorkshire Oaks, where she will shock no one as much as she did yesterday. "I said beforehand that I had been training for 25 years and could do with a pleasant surprise at this stage," Bolger said. "Margarula has given it to me today after getting a peach of a ride from Kevin, who saved every inch of ground along the inner."

Ballydoyle's disappointment was tempered by the earlier evidence that the $6.8m (£4.4m) they spent to make Van Nistelrooy the world's most expensive yearling last season is at least not a complete waste of money.

The Storm Cat colt, with his generous white splashes on a dark gingerbread hide, looked an absolute ringer for Giant's Causeway, and the comparisons may extend to more than appearance.

Van Nistelrooy drifted in the betting from 4-9 to 8-11 in acknowledgement that this was his debut on the soft ground his pedigree tells us should not be suitable. Sure enough, the colt employed a chopping stride which will be more suited to fast conditions, yet still managed to overcome the factors against him in beating Kevin Prendergast's Mukamal by half a length.

"We were close to taking him out, but the ground seemed better today when we walked it before racing," O'Brien said. "It's a big relief when you get them under way. He was very green when he hit the front on that slow ground, but I think it will have taught him a lot. We haven't been able to give them any fast work because of the bad weather at home. We'll be looking at something back here like the Tyros Stakes or the Futurity Stakes."

Sun brings glimmer for Cecil

Two trainers whose careers have spluttered in recent years, Henry Cecil and Andy Turnell, had a revitalising day yesterday, picking up important prizes at Maisons-Laffitte and Haydock Park respectively.

Cecil's Burning Sun followed up his Royal Ascot win to take the Group Two Prix Eugene Adam from Brian Meehan's Kaieteur. But Mick Channon's Aramram had another unhappy French experience when parting company with Steve Drowne, just as he had in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly.

Turnell's Jelani, who had finished fourth in the Derby on his previous outing, earned a crack at the St Leger and gave Fergal Lynch his 50th success of the season in the Listed July Trophy at Haydock.

Bollin Eric, an 8-15 shot, had made the running until headed by Jelani two furlongs out, but as the favourite rallied he was hampered as Jelani edged left. Unusually, an inquiry was not announced until after the weighed-in signal was given, the stewards having been satisfied that Lynch would be guilty, at worst, of irresponsible riding of a minor nature.

Turnell said: "Jelani's owner might want to run him in the Great Voltigeur, but the St Leger has always been the target and I would not want to leave that behind at York." Jelani started at a generous 5-1, and Turnell added: "I couldn't believe it, I had a little bit on him with Ladbrokes and said to them 'do you know something I don't?'."

* Wolverhampton stages its last card on turf over jumps tonight, nine years after becoming primarily an all-weather Flat track.