Joseph O'Brien: Pretty Gorgeous aiming to cement status at Curragh

Curragh

Thundering into another big race

14:35 - Thundering Nights and Bolleville

Thundering Nights has been brilliant this season, improving 19lb and winning a Group 3 on her latest start. The return to this longer trip will definitely suit her and she is entitled to run another big race.

Bolleville has really pleased us since she joined us, winning a Listed race at Leopardstown and finishing fifth in a Group 1 in France. We might have made a little bit too much use of her last time and I think we'll ride her with a bit more patience in this. I'd be hopeful she can run a good race.

No pressure

15:10 - Alligator Alley

Alligator Alley has a bit to find at these weights, but our options at five furlongs with him are limited and we are happy to let him take his chance. There won't be any pressure on him and hopefully he can run well.

The one to beat

15:40 - Pretty Gorgeous

Pretty Gorgeous is our big Group 1 hope for the week. We've loved her from an early stage, she really is a particularly good-looking filly. We were a little bit disappointed when she was beaten by Shale in the Silver Flash, so it was great to see her reverse that form quite emphatically in the Debutante Stakes.

We were thrilled with what she did there. She was very impressive. We've been very happy with her since then and the formbook suggests she is the one to beat. Hopefully she can get the job done and cement her position as one of the best two-year-old fillies around.

Hoping he can step up for strong race

16:10 - Thunder Moon

Thunder Moon really pleased us when winning a barrier trial at Dundalk and did even better than we hoped when making an impressive winning racecourse debut in a seven-furlong maiden at the Curragh. He did it very easily that day and we would be very hopeful that the experience will bring him on. This is clearly a very big ask of him as it looks the strongest two-year-old race of the season so far, but we hope he'll come up to this level and will hopefully acquit himself well.

Another career best would give him a good chance

16:40 - Twilight Payment

We've been delighted with Twilight Payment this year. We changed his routine this season and he seems to have really thrived for the new regime. He was very impressive in the Curragh Cup last time and it might well have been a career-best effort. If he can repeat that, he'll have a very good chance.

In-form and ready to run a big race

17:50 - Numerian and Degraves

Numerian ran a big race to finish a close second in this race off a mark of 99 last year. He is 6lb higher this year, but he has earned those pounds and has been in great form. We are claiming 7lb off him and are hopeful he'll run a big race.

Degraves ran a solid race in the Royal Whip Stakes last time and might well be suited by the style of a big-field handicap like this. He is still unexposed and it wouldn't surprise if he ran well.