Once again this season, Aidan O’Brien was denied in an Irish classic, this time by William Haggas, who sent over Sea Of Class to win Saturday’s Darley Irish Oaks.

There was a touch of class about the daughter of Sea The Stars who was confidently ridden by James Doyle and it was her turn of foot that won the day as she got up comfortably on the line to deny Aidan and Donnacha O’Brien, who were trying to complete an Oaks double with Forever Together. Willie McCreery’s Mary Tudor ran an excellent race in third while the favourite, Magic Wand, also trained by O’Brien, disappointed in fifth and was reported to have had a dirty nose post-race.

O’Brien has filled second in all four classics so far this term and if he doesn’t win the Irish St Leger in September, it will be the first time since 2005 he has failed to win a home classic.

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Sea Of Class could now bid to emulate her sire and grandam Urban Sea by winning the Arc at Longchamp. In the meantime, next month’s Yorkshire Oaks looks the obvious target.

The theme of Oaks weekend was success for British-trained runners, with five significant wins for four trainers coming across the Irish Sea. Cork native David O’Meara, now a highly successful trainer based in Yorkshire, led the charge with a double on Saturday through Intisaab in the Scurry Handicap before Larchmont Lad and So Beloved gave him a one-two in the Group 2 Minstrel Stakes.

Elsewhere, Mark Johnston sent out Marie’s Diamond to win the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes while on Sunday Karl Burke’s Havana Grey took the five-furlong Group 2 Sapphire Stakes. The feature race on that day, the Group 2 Kilboy Estates Stakes, went to O’Brien’s Magical.