Estrange beats Oaks winner Thundering On in Pretty Polly Stakes

Curragh's Pretty Polly Stakes: Estrange puts Oaks winner Thundering On in shade with win for Danny Tudhope and David O'Meara Estrange gained a deserved first success at the top level with a scintillating performance in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh with the Epsom Oaks heroine Thundering On well beaten in fourth Saturday 27 June 2026 17:57, UK Estrange produced a brilliant performance to record the first Group One success of her career in the Tattersalls Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh. Plenty of pre-race attention surrounded Oaks heroine Thundering On, but Estrange (13/8) was not without her supporters and was going just as well as Joseph O'Brien's filly with two furlongs left of the mile-and-a-quarter showpiece to travel. Both had been patiently ridden, but it was Danny Tudhope on David O'Meara's near-white five-year-old who got by far the best response and she ran out an authoritative length-and-a-half winner from One Look. North Yorkshire-based O'Meara said: "A wonderful mare. She was maybe caught a little bit wide throughout, but it looked like it was pretty smooth sailing for Danny. 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. - Box office battles, O'Brien dominance & draw bias | Royal Ascot reflections - Loughnane reflects on a successful week at Royal Ascot "She travelled nicely to the two [furlong pole]. 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, delighted for Cheveley Park (Stud, owners). They have been sending me horses now for over a decade and it's brilliant for them." Coral cut Estrange to 12/1 from 20/1 for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a race she was forced to miss last year with a dirty scope. Paddy Power quoted 7/2 from 7/1 about the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. O'Meara said: "We'd love to go for the Arc and she has the entry. It was important that she got the Group One win under her belt and she did so in good style today. "We'll enjoy this and figure out where we go next." Sun Goddess shines in quick Curragh turnaround Sun Goddess did enough to make a quick return to action pay off in the Airlie Stud Stakes at the Curragh. Last seen finishing a length second to Libertango in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, Aidan O'Brien's filly tracked Beibhinn and Belle Of The Ball before putting her head down to take charge of the Group Two contest. Green Empress made taking late gains but was three-quarters of a length adrift of the 2/7 favourite at the line, having been five lengths in arrears when the pair met here last month. O'Brien said: "We were running her back quick, so we didn't really know. She's a lovely filly and we'll give her a bit of time now. "She just got hung up in the pace a little bit [at Ascot]. Ryan said he had to fight early and the winner was locked up out the back and just came when the race was over. That's the way you know. "She is very classy. A great traveller. She is still a baby. I think the Moyglare would be suitable. I think she's going to stay and will be comfortable enough going up to seven [furlongs]. "She seemed to be well after Ascot. The race was there this weekend and it's beautiful ground. All the things suited." Giant Sequoia makes no mistake at the second time of asking Giant Sequoia looked the part in taking the Barronstown Stud Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden at the Curragh. Beaten into third at odds of 4/9 on his debut here, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Frankel colt was the same price to show the benefit of that experience and duly did so with the minimum of fuss, tracking Bull Shark before starting to get into top gear over two furlongs out. Pushed nicely clear from there, Ryan Moore's mount had two-and-a-quarter lengths to spare over fellow Ballydoyle runners Oklahoma and Shakespeare. O'Brien - who won this race in 2023 - said: "He had a lovely run here the first day and he came on lovely. He is a lovely big horse. You'd be delighted with him. I couldn't be happier really. "He'll have no problem staying at seven [furlongs]; he'll have no problem going up to a mile. He'll only get better. He is a big, powerful horse." Meriden is on a terrific run for Denis Hogan and brought up a four-timer with an emphatic victory under Chris Hayes in the Neville Homes Summer Fillies Handicap. Hogan said of the 7/2 joint-favourite: "She just about won [off mark of 57] the first day, but has stepped up every day. I don't think she'll be back in that grade (0-60) anytime soon. She's progressed from run to run and is just a filly in good form. She has a real good temperament so that helps. "She has had four races in a month and is a real improver." After landing the apprentice Derby on Friday night, trainer Johnny Murtagh struck 'Derby' gold again, this time with Fixation in the Reserve Ladies Derby Handicap. Ridden by Georgie Benson, the 2/1 favourite won by four lengths going away. Murtagh said: "Two Derbys in two days; it's only I don't have a runner in the one tomorrow! He is a grand little horse, this lad. "I thought he was a little bit unlucky last time in a better race. Shane (Reville, part-owner) rang me a couple of weeks ago and said 'I think we should go for the Ladies Derby'. "This is his first horse with me, but he is a good friend of mine. When I was riding he used to help me with the form. He is pretty sharp. "Shane and the lads bought this horse and sent him to me. It's great to have a winner for them here on Irish Derby weekend. "The horses are running really well. They are hitting the board and that's all you can do. I've got a great team around me."