Late Pretty Polly call expected for Thundering On

Joseph O’Brien plans to make a late call on Thundering On’s participation in the Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.

The daughter of Frankel was a brilliant winner of the Oaks at Epsom on June 5 and while a bid for a Classic double in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks on July 18 is very much on the agenda, O’Brien has raised the possibility of his star filly first taking on her elders on Irish Derby weekend.

“There is a good chance that she might turn up there, but we’ll just see how she is during the week,” the trainer said on Tuesday.

“Obviously when you’re backing up so soon you kind of have to leave the final decision as late as possible, but we’re very happy with how she’s been since Epsom.

“We won the Pretty Polly with her dam (Thundering Nights) and if she did turn up you’d imagine she’d be a short-priced favourite.

“The Irish Oaks is the race we’re very keen on, we want to have her at fever pitch for that, but I quite like the look of the Pretty Polly on the way there in terms of timing, I think 10 furlongs is a lovely trip for her and I think the Curragh will be a good track for her.”

Should Thundering On be given the green light to turn out on Saturday, she will be dropping back in trip from a mile and a half to a mile and a quarter and will almost certainly encounter quicker ground than she did at Epsom, but O’Brien is unconcerned.

He added: “I don’t think dropping back in trip will be a problem. There is an argument to be made for 10 furlongs being her best trip even, but we’ll see through the course of the season.

“The ground was good and quick in Navan and she handled slower ground in Epsom and in the Curragh last year, so I don’t think she has a worry in terms of ground conditions.

“I think she’s a nice filly and she won very well in Epsom. She got a good set-up and a good ride on the day, she has a high rating and she is now short in the market for all the biggest races in the world.

“It’s exciting to have a filly like her and hopefully we can have a smooth passage through the season with her.”

Thundering On is the star name among 13 fillies to stand their ground for the Pretty Polly Stakes following Tuesday’s confirmation stage, with her trainer also leaving in Beset, Nyra and Wemightakedlongway.

“Wemightakedlongway is a likely runner and we’re going to leave in Nyra, who may or may not run,” O’Brien added.

“Beset would want a bit of rain probably, but I expect we will have a few runners in the race.”

Joseph O’Brien’s father Aidan has confirmed Beautify and Sugar Island, while his brother Donnacha has Kensington Lane in the mix.

There are three significant potential challengers from Britain in David O’Meara’s top-class grey Estrange, Charlie Johnston’s 1000 Guineas third but Oaks disappointment Venetian Lace and the Ed Walker-trained Qilin Queen, who was last seen finishing fourth behind Arc hero Daryz in the Prix Aga Khan IV in France.

Carolina Jetstream (Robson de Aguiar), One Look (Paddy Twomey) and Red Letter (Ger Lyons) also feature.