Thumbs up for Seamie Heffernan after Thesecretadversary wins the Jersey

Longchamp Sunday Racing Tips: Irish Horses to Follow

Horse Racing

Sun October 04, 2026 · 11h ago

Donn McClean highlights a handful of Irish raiders he expects to shine on today's card at ParisLongchamp.

Thundering On (Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe)

Thundering On was impressive in winning the Group 3 Salsabil Stakes at Naas in April, and she was more impressive in winning the Oaks at Epsom in June. She travelled like the most likely winner from a long way out that day under Dylan Browne McMonagle, and she came away from Legacy Link inside the final furlong, with the first two finishing well clear.

We know that the Oaks hasn’t worked out well since, but Joseph O’Brien’s filly could hardly have been much more impressive in winning it than she was. She was beaten next time in the Pretty Polly Stakes, but there was mitigation and, given a nice break after that, she returned in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes at The Curragh at the Irish Champions’ Festival, and she was impressive in winning again, coming from the rear on a track at which prominent racers usually do best.

She is going to have to improve again on that if she is going to win an Arc, but there is every chance that she will. That was just her seventh run, and it was her first run back after a break. Also, she should appreciate the step back up to a mile and a half.

Immaculately bred, by Frankel and out of the Pretty Polly Stakes winner Thundering Nights, she has a nice draw in stall three, and ground just on the easy side of good should be ideal. It is not ideal that champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle has not made it back from injury in time to ride her, but Pierre-Charles Boudot is obviously an able deputy who won the race on Waldgeist in 2019. As a three-year-old filly, she has just 8st 9lb to carry, and she is a big player.

Folsom Blues (Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere)

Winner of his maiden by seven and a half lengths at Gowran on his second run, Folsom Blues has improved with each of his runs since then, and he cut loose last time in the Group 1 National Stakes.

Settled towards the rear of the field early on that day by Joey Sheridan, he made good ground on the stands side on the run to the two-furlong marker, he progressed easily up to join the leaders at the furlong marker and, when his rider asked him to pick up, he showed a scintillating turn of foot that took him six lengths clear of his rivals by the time he reached the winning line.

Second behind now three-time Group 1 winner Sun Goddess in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes over six furlongs at The Curragh in August, Joseph O’Brien’s colt appeared to appreciate the step back up to seven furlongs last time. His draw in stall 10 is not ideal, but two of the last three winners of the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere were drawn nine or higher.

Joey Sheridan celebrates Folsom Blues' National Stakes win

Precise (Prix de l’Opera Longines)

A top-class juvenile, winner of the Moyglare Stud Stakes and the Fillies’ Mile, Precise was beaten in the 1000 Guineas on her return this season, but Aidan O’Brien’s filly left that run behind her when she won the Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh in late May, and she followed up by landing the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

Second behind Blue Bolt – now six for six this season – in the Falmouth Stakes and again in the Prix Rothschild, and a close-up third in the Prix Jacques le Marois, she could only finish fifth behind Blue Bolt in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown last time, but the step up in trip to 10 furlongs today could unlock further progress. She was in the Oaks picture until final declaration stage, and she has shaped on a couple of occasions as if she could improve again when stepped up in trip beyond a mile.

Thesecretadversary (Qatar Prix de la Foret)

Winner of the Listed Churchill Stakes at Tipperary last season as a juvenile, Thesecretadversary shaped like an exciting colt when he won the Group 3 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown on his debut this term. Things didn’t pan out ideally for him in the 2000 Guineas, nor in the Irish 2000 Guineas but, dropped in class and dropped back to seven furlongs, Fozzy Stack’s horse battled on well to get home by a neck in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot from Take Charge Star, winner of a Grade 2 race at Kentucky Downs last month.

Thesecretadversary stepped up on that run next time too when, stepped back up into Group 1 company, he made all to win the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville in July, again over seven furlongs.

He was beaten over a mile last time for the Prix Jacques le Marois, but he should appreciate the drop back down to seven furlongs today. The Foret has looked like the ideal late-season target for him for a little while now.

Orandi (Qatar Prix de la Place de l’Etoile)

Orandi is a fascinating contender in the 10-furlong handicap that brings down the curtain on Arc weekend at Longchamp. Tony Martin’s horse has top weight to carry, and he is not obviously unexposed, but he has been in tremendous form this season, and he thrives in these big-field handicaps.

Winner of the Irish Lincoln on his debut last season, and third in the Lincoln at Doncaster two weeks later, beaten a total of a neck, he won the big Colm Quinn BMW Mile at Galway in July, and he sprang a 40/1 shock in the Northfields Handicap at The Curragh at the Irish Champions’ Festival last time off a 6lb higher mark over 10 furlongs. That was his first run ever over 10 furlongs, and it was up there with the best performances of his career.

He is 6lb higher now again, but he goes into the race in the form of his life, he has a nice draw in stall four, he is still largely unexposed over the distance, and it is obviously significant that Christophe Soumillon takes the ride.