Petrushka (Unfuwain--Ballet Shoes, by Ela-Mana-Mou) is trained by Sir Michael Stoute and was bred in Ireland by Airlie Stud. The victory improved her career mark to three wins from five starts. She won her lone race as a juvenile, and remained unbeaten after her 2000 debut, a four-length romp in the Shadwell Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes (Eng-III). She followed that with a third-place finish in the Sagitta One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) before finishing fourth in the Vodafone Epsom Oaks (Eng-I), in which Melikah finished third.
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's 3-year-old filly Petruska rallied from just off the pace to win the Kildangan Stud Irish Oaks (Ire-I) by 5 1/2 lengths over Melikah Sunday at the Curragh. Inforapenny finished three lengths farther back in third, followed by Littlepacepaddocks, Kalypso Katie, Miletrian, Amethyst, Theoretically, Preseli, and Teggiano.Under jockey Johnny Murtagh, Petrushka completed the 1 1/2 miles in 2:31.2 over good to firm turf. The victory gave Murtagh a sweep of the Irish Oaks and Budweiser Irish Derby (Ire-I). Earlier this month, he won the Irish Derby aboard Sinndar.