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Well-bred Willow wins Wednesday’s Naas Oaks Trial for Aidan O’Brien
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Willow (3 f ex Peeping Fawn by Danehill) provided her Coolmore Australia shuttle sire American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile) with his 18th stakes winner when she won Wednesday’s Naas Oaks Trial (Listed, 1m2f).
Settled in behind the leader by Seamie Heffernan, Willow moved up with 400 metres left to travel and kept on well in the closing stages to score a half length victory over the favourite, La Petite Coco (Ruler Of The World). April Showers (Galileo) was another length and three quarters back in third.
Now the winner of two of her seven career starts having broken her maiden at Leopardstown last October, Willow was last seen finishing a well-beaten 14th of 14 runners in the Oaks (Gr 1, 1m4f). She is one of five winners and the second stakes winner out of four-time Group 1 winner Peeping Fawn (Danehill) who has also produced Listed winning filly September (Deep Impact) who placed on Group 1 level on three occasions.
American Pharoah’s stakes winners include Group / Grade 1 winners Harvey’s Lil Goil, Cafe Pharoah and Van Gogh. He will shuttle to Coolmore Australia for a fifth time this spring for a fee of $49,500 (inc GST).
American Pharoah x Peeping Fawn
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 23, 2021
The beautifully-bred Willow bounces back for Listed honours in the @IrishEBF_ Naas Oaks Trial for Seamie Heffernan and @Ballydoyle @NaasRacecourse pic.twitter.com/afzn5e6rFP
