Ireland’s champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle won his first English classic when the Joseph O’Brien trained Thundering On routed her opposition in Friday’s Betfred Epsom Oaks.The 23-year-old Donegal rider guided the 5/1 shot from last to first in the fillies classic to win by almost four lengths from Legacy Link with outsider Sugar Island doing best of a Ballydoyle trio in third. The 7/4 favourite Amelia Earhart could manage only sixth.It sets up O’Brien and his jockey for a potential classic double with their hope for Saturday’s Derby, James J Braddock, likely to relish the prevailing easy ground conditions at Epsom. Even with her unproven stamina, Thundering On made light of everything and carved her way through the pack as the field split towards the stands side rail up the straight in search of the best ground. Legacy Link went for home, but Browne McMonagle cruised alongside her and when he asked his filly for everything, she shot clear.It was a second English classic for O’Brien who won the 2020 St Leger with Galileo Chrome. But it was a landmark moment for the rider who’d scored in last year’s Irish Leger with Al Riffa. A shock Breeders Cup success on Willie Mullins’s Ethical Diamond quickly followed but the historical context of Epsom classic glory wasn’t lost on him. “We were coming into the race very confident. The trip was going to be the question mark, but she’s been doing everything so easy and she’s improving with every run and there was never a moment’s doubt. Thundering On ridden by jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle on the way to winning the Betfred Oaks at Epsom Downs. Photograph: Mike Egerton for The Jockey Club/PA Wire “I always had everything covered in front and she has a lot of class. It’s a great training performance from Joseph. This is what we all dream of doing,” the rider said. “Coming here this weekend we have two live chances in classics. It doesn’t usually happen, but we have one ticked off so hopefully it’ll roll on to tomorrow. The sky’s the limit, she’s very talented,” he added. O’Brien labelled the daughter of Frankel and Group One winner Thundering Nights “a very special filly” and nominated either the Pretty Polly Stakes or the Irish Oaks as a possible target. “She came alive in the straight and I mean she won very impressively,” said the trainer who turned 33 recently. “Dylan sat and sat and is very confident. He is obviously a world-class rider, and we’re delighted to have him on our team.”