Thundering On is an Oaks mover with convincing Navan win
POURING IT ON: Jockey Joey Sheridan riding Thundering On, on their way to winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies) at Navan Racecourse in County Meath, Ireland. Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Thundering On was a mover in the Oaks market after making no mistake with a convincing win in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes at Navan.
Trained by Joseph O’Brien and ridden by Joey Sheridan, the Frankel filly had already made her seasonal bow when narrowly beaten in a Leopardstown maiden.
She lined up the 11-4 favourite at Group Three level on her second start of the term, and went one better than her second-placed run at this grade last year when a three-and-a-quarter-length winner in a field of seven.
Paddy Power were impressed, going 20-1 from 50-1 about her chance at Epsom on June 5, and Sheridan said: “She’s a high-class filly and she was unlucky to bump into another high-class filly (Skydance) the last day.
“I ended up getting a lovely position there in the box seat. The whole way down to the furlong pole I was just filling her up, waiting for a gap. I kind of knew it was going to open up, so I wasn’t really in any panic.
“She has a lot of ability and she is going to keep coming forward.
“Her dam (Thundering Nights) was a very good mare, so I am sure she will probably follow suit.” The winner’s participation at Epsom is not guarantee, however, with O’Brien saying: “I thought she was impressive and she had a big turn of foot.
“Her dam was a great filly for us, and it is nice that she is following in her footsteps.
“We might look at something like the Prix de Diane (Chantilly) now for her.” Latin America got off the mark for Johnny Murtagh in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden, guided by Ben Coen as the 5-6 favourite to a neat two-and-a-quarter-length victory.
Run in the Coolmore silks, the Gleneagles colt was second to Donnacha O’Brien’s highly-regarded Shaihaan on debut and is himself well thought of by connections.
Murtagh said: “He is a nice horse. He was one of our better two-year-olds last year, got a few little hold ups.
“I was keen to run him this year early in the season on bad ground and he ran very well (second). I think it was a good race at the Curragh.
“This was a perfect race for him here today – a mile and a quarter around Navan would suit him really well. Ben says when he hit the front, he’s still learning a little bit, but he should come on a lot from today’s experience and he’s going to have to because we will probably step him up in class now.
“That uphill finish here and that’s the first time he would have experienced that faster ground as well, so I think he will have learned a lot today.” Amo Racing’s Tribeca is likely to be Royal Ascot bound after taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
After fetching 575,000 guineas as a yearling the Blue Point colt was sent to Robson De Aguiar, and was a 17-2 chance to make a winning debut under Donagh O’Connor over six furlongs.
He duly obliged when scoring by half a length from Barrow Boy, and is considered a Coventry prospect with the Royal meeting in mind. The odds-on Aidan O’Brien newcomer West Of Eden was only fourth.
De Aguiar said: “He’s a nice horse. He’s still babyish, he’s still green, and I don’t know how quick he is yet.
“He’s an end of April horse and he has a lot to improve. A big, strong horse and I’d say he has a bright future.
“He has a very good mentality for a Blue Point – he’s very relaxed, he does everything right, so I’m delighted with what he did today.” Regarding future plans, the trainer added: “I’d say he’s kind of a Coventry horse, but I have to see how he goes after the race today. If he is ready to go to Ascot, we will try.
“I think we will go to the Curragh in a Group Three before Ascot.”
