Hannon Continues Lockinge Dominance With Night of Thunder

Night of Thunder (right) beats off the late challenge of stablemate Toormore to win the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes

Richard Hannon improved his brilliant record in the Lockinge Stakes by fielding the first and second placed horses in a race where the proven Group 1 performers all came to the fore.

Night of Thunder was a relatively easy horse to back in the run up to the 2015 Lockinge, but rewarded his new connections Godolphin with a neck victory from stablemate Toormore, with Arod and Integral close behind the pair in third and fourth positions.

The increased prize money of the Al Shaqab Lockinge attracted a field of 18, the biggest ever seen in the race, which ensured a true gallop and the field were strung out from an early stage. As the race developed the high-class horses began to exert their presence with Toormore out wide, Integral nearer the centre and the eventual winner on the rail under James Doyle. Night of Thunder skipped clear of the pack inside the final furlong and just outlasted a final challenge from his stablemate Toormore to record his first Group 1 victory since taking last year’s 2000 Guineas.

Night of Thunder was the only horse to beat the mighty Kingman when he won that excellent renewal of the Guineas and he spent the rest of his three year old season somewhat in the shadow of his rival, who reversed the Newmarket form in devastating style when the pair met at Royal Ascot. With no Kingman this season Night of Thunder is the highest Timeform Rated British miler still in training and he proved himself worthy of that title at Newbury at the highest level.

In terms of Timeform Ratings this was a satisfactory result, with Night of Thunder Top Rated on 127 followed closely by Toormore (125), and with Integral (121 getting a 3lb mares allowance) a close fourth. Derby fourth Arod improved on his prior performances and can now expect a rating in the 120s.

The Queen Anne at Royal Ascot looks to be next on the cards for Night of Thunder where he is set to meet international raiders Able Friend and Solow, and there should be more to come from him according to Richard Hannon, who said: “he probably got tired in the closing stages off the back of a long break”.

Hannon will try to keep his star milers apart as much as possible this season, but admitted that it would be ultimately up to the owners to decide their race pattern.