Moonstone set for Irish Oaks

Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's

promising MOONSTONE (Dalakhani) is among the cast of 18 fillies remaining in Sunday's Irish Oaks

(Ire-G1) at The Curragh. Runner-up to Look

Here (Hernando [Fr]) in the June 6 Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1), the maiden is one of seven still engaged

from Ballydoyle alongside the Blue Wind S. (Ire-G3) winner and Epsom disappointment

ADORED (Galileo [Ire]).

His Highness the Aga Khan's KATIYRA (Peintre Celebre) will bid to reverse Epsom placings with

Moonstone, having finished 2 3/4 lengths

behind that rival when third. Trainer John Oxx is hoping she can prove up to the

task.

"We've had no complaints

with her since Epsom, thankfully everything has gone to plan," Oxx told PA Sport

yesterday. "We decided to give

her a break, just to give her a bit more time to strengthen up, and she seems

very well in herself."

While Jim

Bolger has not supplemented the Coronation S. winner Lush Lashes (Galileo

[Ire]), he has a duo headed by the

Athasi S. (Ire-G3) victress PRIMA LUCIE (Galileo [Ire]). Dermot Weld has engaged Moyglare Stud's Irish

One Thousand

Guineas (Ire-G1) and Pretty Polly S. (Ire-G1) runner-up MAD ABOUT YOU (Indian Ridge) and Lady O'Reilly's

CHINESE WHITE (Dalakhani).

Of the overseas entry, Andre Fabre has left in

Tabor, Smith and Magnier's Prix

Penelope (Fr-G3) heroine GAGNOA (Sadler's Wells), also runner-up in both the Prix Saint-Alary

(Fr-G1) and Prix deDiane (Fr-G1) (French Oaks); and Rae Guest has declared

last-out stakes heroine ROSA GRACE (Lomitas [GB]).

With the ground currently described as yielding to soft on the straight course

and yielding on the round course,

The Curragh's General Manager Paul Hensey is hoping for an improvement in

conditions.

"We have had a couple

nice drying days and, while there is some rain forecast for tonight, weather

prospects look a lot brighter for later in

the week," Hensey commented.