Thundering On remains in Irish Oaks picture

Thundering On will step back up in trip to a mile and a half with the Irish Oaks firmly in her sights after failing to fire in the Pretty Polly Stakes on Saturday.

Joseph O’Brien’s impressive Epsom Oaks winner managed only fourth behind David O’Meara’s Estrange, beaten two and a half lengths at the line.

Despite the on course vet reporting that the filly coughed after the race, O’Brien gave her a clean bill of health on Monday suggesting it was the trip and not an illness which beat her.

“She ran a good race and ran a competitive race and probably the learning on the day was that it would be nice to go back to 12 furlongs with her,” said the Owning Hill trainer.

“She came home well and seems to have pulled up pretty well and we would be looking at preparing her for the Irish Oaks (July 18) now.”

Just one week after completing his best-ever Royal Ascot, finishing runner up the trainers’ table behind father Aidan with five winners, O’Brien endured a frustrating Irish Derby meeting.

Out of 20 runners over the three days at the Curragh, O’Brien hit the bar with six seconds, two thirds and watched as the rest were unplaced – a turnaround in form which put the trainer in philosophical mood.

“We are well used to it and most of the horses ran very well,” said O’Brien. “It would have been great to have a whole bunch of winners but that is not the way things go so now we are looking forward to Galway and Goodwood and the rest of the season from there.”

O’Brien was at least delighted with the run of Green Empress with the Saxon Warrior filly finishing second to comfortable scorer Sun Goddess in the Group Two Airlie Stud Stakes.

It was a run that had O’Brien looking forward to the future and further Group targets.

“Green Empress looks a really nice filly for the future and that was seriously good second start,” said O’Brien. “She improved a fair bit from her debut and she looks an exciting filly for the future absolutely.”

The Owning Hill handler was less impressed with the run of Derby third James J Braddock after he finished sixth of eight beaten 24 lengths in the Irish Derby won by Benvenuto Cellini on Sunday.

The trainer said: “James J Braddock ran a bit flat really. The pace was very strong and he seems to have pulled up well but I think he will be having a little holiday now.”