Aidan O'Brien wins seventh Oaks as Forever Together triumphs at Epsom

Forever Together (left) had finished second, third and fourth in her previous three races before her emphatic win on Friday at Epsom

Trainer Aidan O'Brien won a seventh Oaks as 7-1 shot Forever Together, ridden by his son Donnacha, raced home by four-and-a-half lengths at Epsom.

The father and son team also won the opening classic of the season, the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, last month.

O'Brien claimed four of the first five places, with Godolphin's 5-2 favourite Wild Illusion coming second.

Earlier, 2-7 favourite Cracksman, the son of the legendary Frankel, won the Group One Coronation Cup by a head.

The John Gosden-trained four-year-old was well adrift of surprise 33-1 leader Salouen into the final furlong but surged along the outside rail to give jockey Frankie Dettori a fifth Coronation Cup, and his first since 2001.

In the big race, the Oaks, the third of the five classics in the British season, Forever Together produced a dominant performance over the mile and four furlongs.

She had failed to win any of her three previous starts, most recently finishing runner-up, three-and-a-half lengths behind stablemate Magic Wand in last month's Cheshire Oaks.

On this occasion, Magic Wand, again ridden by Ryan Moore, finished fourth, three lengths behind Bye Bye Baby in third.

"To be honest, I didn't expect her to do it. I had the perfect position the whole way," the winning jockey said of Forever Together. "It all went perfectly.

"When you're riding one of his [father Aidan's horses] you have a chance, he's an absolute genius. He can do things with horses I don't understand, he brings out massive improvement and I don't know how he does it."

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Analysis

BBC horse racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght

What a spectacular manner in which to break your duck.

This was only Forever Together's fourth race, and my goodness she absolutely waltzed away with the Oaks for her first win in the manner of very good filly, beating the useful Wild Illusion hands down.

In contrast to her last run at Chester when second and she seemed to be impeded all the time, everything went much more smoothly here.

Aidan O'Brien's success is obviously a great racing and a great sporting story, and on occasions like this a great family story too.