French Blue Up In Trip For Munster Oaks

Time/Date - 15.55hrs local time/Sunday, June 12, 2016

Racecourse/Country - Cork/Ireland

Surface/Distance - Turf/1m 4f

French Blue makes her first start over a mile and a half in the G3 coral.ie Munster Oaks at Cork, Ireland, on Sunday, June 12.

The three-year-old Iffraaj filly, trained by Willie McCreery, ran most recently when last of three to Shamreen in a fillies' conditions race over an extended nine furlongs at Gowran Park on May 25.

She performed better when the half-length runner-up over the same course and distance to Mint Chai in a conditions race on April 24 and began her 2016 campaign when coming home fifth behind Washington DC in the Listed Text Your Bets to Paddy Power on 51465 Stakes over seven furlongs on Polytrack at Dundalk on April 1.

French Blue was successful on her only start of 2015, when gaining a comfortable four and a quarter length victory in a seven-furlong Polytrack maiden at Dundalk in August.

Willie McCreery said: "We will just have to ride her a bit differently on Sunday - we will slot her in and get a bit of cover because I thought the last day she didn't like being in front.

"We will ride her from the back, take our chance and hopefully pick up some black type.

"The ground and step up in trip will both suit - we just need to get her to settle, enjoy herself and hopefully she can save herself for the latter part of the race."

French Blue, partnered by Wayne Lordan for the first time, faces eight rivals including Shamreen plus Listed scorer Pretty Perfect.