It was no surprise that Ireland's Aidan O'Brien trained today's Investec Oaks winner, but few expected 50/1 shot Qualify to take the prize.
O'Brien also takes the plaudits for breeding Qualify with his wife Anne-Marie under their Whisperview Trading banner, and they have a two-year-old full-brother called Shogun who will be running soon. He is owned by the familiar Coolmore Stud trio of Messrs Magnier, Tabor and Smith, plus Anne-Marie, but Qualify won today in the colours of Spain's Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez.
The winning filly, who caught the David Wachman-trained QIPCO 1000 Guineas winner Legatissimo near the line to score by a short-head, was ridden by Colm O'Donoghue, who had finished second in the 2011 Investec Derby on the O'Brien-trained Treasure Beach, but who had hitherto not ridden a British Classic winner. Two and a half lengths further back was third-placed Lady Of Dubai.
A daughter of Fastnet Rock and the Galileo mare Perihelion, Qualify proved a smart juvenile with a maiden victory and success in the Group Three Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh, but she could do no better than eighth of 13 runners at the Breeders' Cup, and was well beaten in the 1000 Guineas at both Newmarket and the Curragh this spring.
O'Brien said: "She was always very classy, as she proved when winning the Group Three at the Curragh last year. The plan was always to go to Newmarket and then come here - Joseph [O'Brien] looked after her when her chance had gone at Newmarket and she ran really well in the Irish Guineas although no one spotted that and talked about her afterwards. We were really happy and we knew she would step up for going a mile and a quarter and even a mile and a half. She's by Fastnet Rock out of a Galileo mare and when the going gets tough they usually deliver.
"We are lucky to have very high class, quality horses and we knew she had ability because she worked like a good filly. I was afraid the ground wouldn't be quick enough for her today because she likes really hard, fast ground.
"Things didn't go well for her in the Breeders' Cup when she was unlucky and couldn't get a run at the right time. When any horse wins any race it's nice because there's so much that can go wrong. We put Colm on her today because Joseph [O'Brien] had won a Group One on Together Forever and Ryan rides Legatissimo.
"It's great for everyone at home, both on the breeding operation but also at the yard. It's a big team effort and we feel privileged to be part of it."
