JOSEPH O’Brien boasts a strong hand of three as he bids to win the Juddmonte Irish Oaks for the first time.

Thundering On heads the market for today’s classic, 12 months on from stablemate Wemightakedlongway claiming runner-up honours behind the favourite Minnie Hauk.

O’Brien was placed in the fillies’ centrepiece on a number of occasions, including when beaten a neck on Tapestry, when a slipped saddle didn’t help his chances.

O’Brien will be hoping for better look this time and reports Epsom heroine Thundering On to be in good form following her fourth-placed effort against her elders in the Pretty Polly Stakes, when she was found to be coughing post-race.

“It was nothing serious,” the trainer told The Irish Field. “She’s pulled up well and trained well since then. This is an obvious next step for her and we are very happy with her preparation.”

O’Brien is very familiar with Thundering On’s closest market rivals – Earth Shot beat his progressive and reopposing filly Johanna Walsh at Ascot last time, while his father Aidan’s leading representative Amelia Earhart is out of Venus De Milo, who Joseph himself rode to finish second in the 2013 running won by Chicquita.

Given that William Haggas’ raider Earth Shot finished just a head in front of Johanna Walsh in the Ribblesdale Stakes, I suggest that the Ascot runner-up might be underestimated by themarket and O’Brien is inclined to agree.

Underestimated

“I think that’s fair to say and we think she’ll love the conditions and she’ll love the Curragh.

“She’s been really good since Ascot and there wasn’t much between them at Ascot, so I’d like to think that there won’t be a huge amount between them again this weekend.”

Stable jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle, unsurprisingly, takes the ride on Shapoor Mistry’s homebred Thundering On, while Colin Keane dons the colours of US owner Wells Watson aboard the Sea The Stars filly Johanna Walsh.

Joey Sheridan, who rode Thundering On to her first group success, gets the leg up on O’Brien’s least experienced representative Rebel Moon.

Sheridan partnered Al Shira’aa Racing’s Lope De Vega filly to make a winning debut at Gowran Park in April and she maintained her perfect record in the Group 3 Al Shira’aa Racing Irish EBF Jannah Rose Stakes over an extended 10 furlongs next time.

She is improving all the time, as her trainer says: “She had a good run last time, and the form had been franked with the second filly running well at Newmarket against her elders (Caught U Sleeping finished third in the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks).

“She’s drawn a bit wide, which isn’t ideal, but she’s a legitimate contender as well. She’s there to have a live each way chance, hopefully.”

Classic chance

Sparan Nua is another aiming to extend an unbeaten record and provide Jim Bolger with his third win in the race, following Give Thanks in 1983 and Margarula in 2002.

Like the latter, Sparan Nua was also bred by Bolger, but was purchased privately by Maurice Regan’s Newtown Anner Stud following her second success. The daughter of Dawn Approach will be reunited with Declan McDonogh, who is seeking his first classic success.

“Delighted,” the rider told Racing TV. “Grateful to Joseph (O’Brien) for letting me off to ride the filly and thankful to the owners and Mr Bolger as well, so looking forward to it.”

On the filly, who he’s ridden to win twice, McDonogh commented: “I think she’s doing everything right and taking the steps forward that she needs to put herself in the picture for what looks like an open enough race; they’re much of a same rating band.

“I think she’s adaptable ground-wise; she won on very fast ground on her first start. So, there’s a lot of positives, rather than negatives. She deserves to take her chance in it.”