Classic star to captain strong Joseph O'Brien squad in red-hot Irish Oaks with Epsom, Chantilly and Ascot form lines colliding

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Oaks heroine Thundering On is set to spearhead a formidable three-pronged assault on Saturday's Juddmonte Irish Oaks for Joseph O'Brien as the in-form trainer attempts to continue his family's red-hot streak in major races.

It has been a sensational couple of weeks for the O'Briens, with Joseph O'Brien operating at a phenomenal 35 per cent strike-rate with 18 winners in the last 14 days, while father Aidan and brother Donnacha have claimed three top-level contests between them.

Thundering On impressed when bolting up at Epsom under Dylan Browne McMonagle last month on rain-softened ground before dropping in trip on good to firm ground in the Pretty Polly Stakes, in which she finished fourth.

Thundering On: impressive Epsom winnerCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The ground at the Curragh is set to be on the fast side again but the plan is to run her alongside Ribblesdale runner-up Johanna Walsh and the unbeaten Rebel Moon, who was supplemented following a Group 3 win at Naas last time.

"Thundering On has been in good form since the Pretty Polly and we’ll be watching the weather," said O'Brien. "Johanna Walsh had a really good run in the Ribblesdale and we're looking forward to the weekend with her. Rebel Moon had a real nice run at Naas. 

"The form has been franked and we’re looking forward to seeing what she can do going up to a mile and a half."

Clerk of the course Paddy Graffin is pleased with the condition of the track. 

He said: "We had been good to firm, firm in places, but we've been watering since last week and I'm pleased to say the firm has been taken out of it. It's beautiful. It's on the fast side of good everywhere. Watering will continue into the weekend and it's currently good to firm. These conditions are set to continue into the weekend with temperatures in the mid to high 20s."

Inis Mor (near side) beats Earth Shot in the Height of Fashion StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The form of the French Oaks will be put to the test on Saturday after Quantum Leap Racing decided to supplement the David Menuisier-trained Inis Mor for €50,000.

She will renew rivalry with the William Haggas-trained Earth Shot after a head separated them at Goodwood in May. That success earned Inis Mor a shot at the Prix de Diane and she ran with credit to finish third behind Diamond Necklace.

Eamonn O'Connor is founder and managing director of Quantum Leap Racing, which owns Inis Mor. The syndicate, founded in 2017, has had success with the likes of Tamfana, Ottilien and Rodrigo Diaz.

"We buy yearlings with pedigrees and our objective is to get Group horses over middle distances," said O'Connor. "You need a bit of patience but that's rewarded when you get weekends like this.

"We have a good horse every year, rated 90 to 105. Those horses we tend to move on as they're worth more in other jurisdictions and that helps replenish the pot so we can buy more yearlings. 

"However, we don't want to be on a permanent hamster wheel and our ultimate objective is to get horses who are more valuable in the northern hemisphere. If we get a Group horse, we're happy to roll the dice and that's what we're doing."

Earth Shot: Ribblesdale winnerCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Inis Mor is the latest smart performer to run in the green and white silks and is set for a third crack at a Classic.

"She was a bit flat at Newmarket [when 12th in the 1,000 Guineas] and David didn't think she was herself," said O'Connor. "She's normally on her toes in the paddock, that's just her, but she wasn't that day. 

"I thought she did very well to win at Goodwood as there was no pace and it wasn't run to suit but that was enough to roll the dice in the Diane. 

"We thought about going to the Ribblesdale but we decided we'd stick to a mile and a quarter before stepping up to a mile and a half later. We're confident in her ability and, if she improves for the trip, I think she'll be bang there."

When asked if there were any reservations among the syndicate about shelling out the supplementary fee, he added: "I was a little tentative as it isn't something I'd do lightly but we spoke to all the members and the support was unanimous. 

"About 30 are going over and there was the same number at the Diane and the Guineas, while we had plenty over at Arc weekend last year when we had two runners and for the Dubai Gold Cup a couple of years ago, so we've had some great days."

Juddmonte Irish Oaks (Curragh, 4.35 Saturday)
Paddy Power: 5-2 Earth Shot, 11-4 Thundering On, 4 Johanna Walsh, 5 Amelia Earhart, Sparan Nua, 6 Inis Mor, 10 Rebel Moon, 20 Sugar Island, 33 Cameo, 50 Beautify, Composing.

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