Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1)

FOR the third time in four years, the Pretty Polly Stakes went for export - though this time it was a landmark first Irish Group 1 for a Co Cork-born trainer, as David O’Meara’s grey wonder Estrange stole the Oaks winner’s thunder in a stylish display.

All the talk in the lead-up to the Paddy Power-backed €400,000 prize centred around brilliant Epsom heroine Thundering On, stepping down in distance on a much faster surface than she faced last time. However, the market really spoke in the Cheveley Park-owned winner’s favour late on - backed from a morning price of 7/2 down to 13/8 - and Danny Tudhope had all the answers to scoop the Curragh’s Saturday feature.

Dylan Browne McMonagle had the winner in his sights throughout, shadowing the Night Of Thunder filly aboard his 11/10 favourite for Joseph O’Brien, but the turn of foot that was so explosive last time didn’t quite have the same impact here.

Thundering On ultimately was beaten two and a half lengths in fourth, with Paddy Twomey’s One Look staying on better than anything else from the back of the field for second and Ger Lyons’ Red Letter earning crucial Group 1 blacktype in third. Those who filled the frame emerged with their reputations very much enhanced in defeat.

This victory might just be the launchpad to even bigger targets for the winner, though, and connections will be working back from an obvious key date in October.

“She’s a wonderful filly,” said O’Meara, after registering the 10th Group 1/Grade 1 success of his training career.

“She was maybe caught a little bit wide throughout but it looked like it was pretty smooth sailing out there for Danny. I was comfortable watching it but there is a big weight for age allowance for the three-year-olds, so I didn't know if that would tell in the last half a furlong, up the hill.

“She travelled nicely to the two [furlong pole] and the drop back in trip has definitely not been a negative. It could have been the making of her… Maybe we have been running her over the wrong trip!

“I'm delighted with today and delighted for Cheveley Park. They have been sending me horses now for over a decade and this is brilliant for them. Any Group 1 is special but to win one here is really special. We haven’t had one for a few years and from word go we thought this filly was very good.”

Paddy Power reacted to the cosy length-and-a-quarter victory by cutting Estrange to 16/1 (from 40s) for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

On the possibility of that ParisLongchamp target, O’Meara added: “We'd love to go to the Arc and she has that entry, but it was important that she got the Group 1 win under her belt and she did so in good style today. We'll enjoy this and figure out where we go next.”

Beaten reaction

James Doyle, rider of One Look (second)

“I’m delighted with her. She had a tricky draw [in stall 10] and I had planned on being handier than I was, but with that wind, I thought I’d protect her a little bit. She likes coming through runners too. I probably could have done with the gaps a little sooner than I got them, but she finished off good.”

Ger Lyons, trainer of Red Letter (third)

“She ran a belter and travelled into it very well. She’s a filly we’ve been ticking boxes with, collecting as much blacktype as we can. We’ve now got Group 1 blacktype, have won our listed race, won our Group 3 and now we’d like to win a Group 2. If we’re in the right place at the right time, who knows?

"She’s only now a horse. We gave her time and every chance, and if we were third today, anything better was a bonus - because that was a proper race. We got beaten a snot in the Matron Stakes one year. Now, I know the Matrons have been world-class since then, but I have something in my head that that’s her race. I don’t think she gets the 10 furlongs quite.”

Dylan Browne McMonagle, rider of Thundering On (fourth)

“She’s run a good race. I followed the winner everywhere and was comfortable through the race, travelled into the straight well. I felt like I was the winner all over at the two [furlong marker] but she just didn’t quicken up like she did the last day. I think she’ll be better off going back up in trip. Possibly [she might prefer more ease in the ground].”

Joey Sheridan, rider of Wemightakedlongway (fifth)

“She ran a blinder. She’s good and honest and the first-time visors were a big help to her. A mile and a half [should suit her well].”