Juddmonte Irish Oaks
Grade 1, Curragh 15:40 €500,000 guaranteed, 3yo fillies, 1m 4f, Class 1
Tweet Saturday 18th July 2026

Thundering On will arrive at the Curragh with a profile that suggests her Epsom victory may not have been the ceiling of her ability.

Wow. Wow. Wow! 😱

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐧 brilliantly wins the Betfred Oaks at Epsom 👑 pic.twitter.com/3ev8KpXbjH

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 5, 2026

The Oaks was notable not just for the result but for how she won. Both Thundering On and runner-up Legacy Link appeared to take significant steps forward when moving up in trip during the spring, and at Epsom they were the two fillies who travelled notably best throughout the race. Three furlongs from home, the pair swept through the field with ease, but the defining moment came over a furlong out when Thundering On loomed alongside Legacy Link still hard on the bridle. Once asked to go forward, she quickly settled the contest and pulled clear to the line.

A provisional Timeform rating of 124 places her among the leading middle-distance performers in Europe. While some may question the strength of the Oaks form—Venetian Lace failed to stay after her Guineas campaign and favourite Amelia Earhart disappointed—the visual impression was exceptionally strong, and both the winner and runner-up had pedigrees suggesting further improvement was likely over a mile and a half.

The Curragh should suit her well. Unlike Epsom’s undulations and unique test, the Irish Oaks is run on a more conventional galloping track, often favouring fillies who can travel strongly and sustain their effort. Thundering On showed both attributes at Epsom. Importantly, she also answered the one major question beforehand: whether she possessed the stamina for a truly-run 12 furlongs.

Her pedigree adds another layer of intrigue. She is the latest Oaks heroine by Frankel, giving the stallion his third Oaks winner in four years. The Frankel influence has become synonymous with top-class middle-distance fillies, and Thundering On looks another who may continue progressing beyond her Classic season.

The biggest danger may again come from Legacy Link. The runner-up also shaped as though she had improved markedly for the trip and is bred to excel at middle distances, being by Dubawi out of a sister to Frankel. A rematch between the pair would be one of the highlights of the summer.

The wider context is that European middle-distance racing is currently exceptionally strong. On current evidence, Thundering On has moved from being a promising Classic filly to a horse who, thanks to her age and sex allowances, could legitimately test the established older stars later in the season. If she reproduces her Epsom form at the Curragh, she will start a warm favourite for the Irish Oaks—and victory there would inevitably strengthen discussion about an autumn campaign against the very best, potentially culminating in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Jim Bolger’s Sparan Nua maintained her unbeaten record with a gutsy victory in the Group Three Darley Munster Oaks at Cork on June 14, continuing her remarkable rise after only making her debut in May. The daughter of Dawn Approach , who won at 25-1 on debut before impressing again at Gowran, defeated Nyra by half a length under Nathan Crosse. Bolger said the inexperienced filly is still learning and, rather than heading to Royal Ascot’s Ribblesdale Stakes, is now likely to be aimed at this.

Juddmonte Irish Oaks (Group 1)
€500,000 guaranteed, 3yo only, 1m 4f
65 entries
Going:

(Form as of June 05)