Distant Storm

It seems hard to believe now that the form of the Ballydoyle stable was being questioned prior to the 2,000 Guineas, before Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) acted as the pivot to a major upturn and sequence of wins in key races in early May. That he slammed Godolphin's genuine Group 1 performer Distant Storm (Night Of Thunder) and the rest by upwards of eight lengths in that Newmarket Classic and still managed to be convincingly beaten is the remarkable story of this year's renewal and he gets the chance to excel in...

Distant Storm (Night Of Thunder) and Abashiri (Frankel) are in contention to represent Godolphin in the first Irish Classics of the season at the Curragh this weekend, with both having pleased Charlie Appleby since their respective outings at Newmarket earlier this month. Distant Storm finished third behind Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) and Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) when sent off the 3/1 joint-favourite for the 2,000 Guineas and could be given the chance to upgrade that finishing position in the Irish equivalent on Saturday. Appleby won the 2022 edition of the Irish...

NEWMARKET, UK -- On the kind of morning one dreams about all winter, the wraps came off a clutch of Guineas hopes as George Boughey and Charlie Appleby made good use of the Rowley Mile ahead of the start of the three-day Craven meeting.  Boughey, who trains less than a mile from the racecourse in his new base at the appropriately named Craven House Stables, declared himself to be thrilled with the progress of Betfred 2,000 Guineas favourite Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder), who is already familiar with the track...

As always, Ireland and France have been quicker off the mark when it comes to the Flat turf season, and Britain joins them this Saturday with the opening meeting at Doncaster, which always provides plenty of interest, not least through the Brocklesby Stakes. This year, fittingly, the first two-year-old race in Britain is run in memory of Bill Turner, whose name was a standing dish in the Brocklesby entries and who died last August at the age of 78. With six victories between 1996 and 2013, Turner holds the record...

The first two from last month's G1 National Stakes at the Curragh, Zavateri (Without Parole) and Gstaad (Starspangledbanner), feature among 14 confirmations for Saturday's G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes, along with Distant Storm, one of three potential runners for Charlie Appleby as he seeks a fourth win in the race since 2019. Last seen winning the G3 Tattersalls Stakes over Saturday's course and distance, Distant Storm heads the betting for the Dewhurst at a general 2/1, although his trainer will be keeping an eye on the weather in the coming days,...

Thursday, Newmarket, post time: 15:35, THE TATTERSALLS STAKES (REGISTERED AS THE SOMERVILLE TATTERSALL STAKES)-G3, £60,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT Field: Archer Royal (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Catullus (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Commander's Intent (Fr) (Victor Ludorum {GB}), Distant Storm (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Northern Champion (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Rogue Supremacy (GB) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), Special Dividend (GB) (Ardad {Ire}), Stellar Sunrise (GB) (Space Blues {Ire}), Wechaad (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}). TDN Analysis: This is a kind of Dewhurst trial and sometimes a pointer to the following year's Guineas,...

YORK, UK -- What a day, or perhaps that should be, oh, what a Night. Fresh from providing the €3m top lot at Arqana on Monday, Night Of Thunder was by Wednesday ruling the Knavesmire, courtesy of his sons Ombudsman and Gewan. In Ombudsman, Godolphin and the Gosdens have the classic late improver, who set about his racing in the middle of last season and burst onto the Group 1 scene in impressive fashion at Royal Ascot. The narrowest of defeats in the Eclipse next time out did little to...