Night of Thunder

Mountarmstrong Stud's Noel O'Callaghan declared himself "delighted" after Amo Racing stretched to €1 million to secure his Night Of Thunder filly during Tuesday's session of the Goffs Orby Sale, telling the assembled press pack, "If you don't get a kick out of selling a yearling for €1 million, you never will." Lot 298 is the second foal out of No Speak Alexander (Shalaa), Mountarmstrong's homebred winner of the G1 Matron Stakes. No Speak Alexander, in turn, is out of the Listed scorer Rapacity Alexander (Dandy Man), a full-sister to the...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Wimbledon Hawkeye at Kentucky Downs.   Kameko Colt Hits The Target In Kentucky The consistent Wimbledon Hawkeye (Kameko) made his first American foray a winning one when scooping a $1 million-plus payday at Kentucky Downs in the GIII Nashville Derby Invitational Stakes on August 30 (video). Bred by owners the Gredley family's Stetchworth and Middle Park Studs, the James Owen trainee had won...

Francis Graffard has had his horses on song from early spring, and anyone who felt that the trainer surely could not maintain such a good run of form is now being proved wrong. He is so far clear of Andre Fabre in the French trainers' table that a first champion title for Graffard is starting to look a mere formality.  As if to underline his dominance, the trainer secured two more Group 1 victories on Sunday. Goliath struck in the Grosser Preis von Baden - a first top-level win for...

Impressive Acomb Stakes winner Gewan will line out for the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster on September 13 in the colours of Yuesheng Zhang after the Yulong boss struck a deal for the unbeaten son of Night Of Thunder who could one day end up at the powerful outfit's Ace Stud. Trained by Andrew Balding, Gewan was bought by bloodstock agent Billy Jackson-Stops on behalf of Al Rabban Racing from Mick Murphy of Longways Stables for €80,000 at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale. He created a massive impression on debut at Newbury,...

There's no jumping off the merry-go-round now that the yearling sales are in full swing, and this week's action will take the travelling show to Newmarket and Baden-Baden for Tattersalls Somerville and Germany's premier yearling sale at BBAG. The latter should expect a stampede, as the word around the grounds is that Wednesday's Ryanair flight from Stansted to Karlsruhe will be chock-a-block with new visitors to BBAG's sale alongside the racecourse at Iffezheim.  This year I've been jocked off the Baden-Baden trip by Brian Sheerin, and the current sulk at...

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...

DEAUVILLE, FRANCE - Shattering a record set a decade ago, a Night Of Thunder filly out of the Ecurie des Monceaux blue hen Prudenzia (Dansili) was sold for €3 million to Amo Racing and was one of six seven-figure transactions on the final day of the Arqana August. There were eight across the sale as a whole. Such a lively last session ensured that the figures were well beyond those of a relatively quiet edition of the sale in 2024. The €266,576 average was not only up by 22% on...

The mare who never misses, Prudenzia once again had her name in lights at Arqana as her daughter by Night Of Thunder (lot 206) shot straight to the top of the leader board after being bought for €3 million by Amo Racing from Ecurie des Monceaux. "It's a well-used term but she is a collector's item," said Alex Elliott after signing the ticket on the new owner's behalf. "She's got a great body for a filly out of a mare of that age and her sister [Diamond Necklace] was a...

The spotlight turns to Haras du Chevotel stud manager Hugo Namur, who is next up in TDN Europe's consignor Q&A, which provides an insight behind some of the vendors in the build-up to the August Yearling Sale in Deauville.  Haras du Chevotel is based in the heart of Normandy and has been associated with quality breeding for many years.  One of the younger guns on the sales circuit, Namur runs through the farm's consignment, offers what young stallions he is taking note of and much more.  Tell us a bit...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the win of Luther (Frankel) in Saratoga's National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes. Frankel Colt Pens His Name Into The Hall Of Fame Paul Hickman and Nicholas Jones's Luther was put up via the disqualification of Zulu Kingdom (Ten Sovereigns) in the GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga on August 1 (video). The Frankel colt is trained by Charlie...

The hunt for the next Group 1 star is now officially on after Tattersalls released the Book 1 catalogue for the October Yearling Sale, which has produced high-class horses like Camille Pissarro, Dynamic Pricing, Royal Patronage, Al Riffa, Believing and many more in recent years. This year alone, there have been three Group 1-winning graduates from Book 1 and 22 Group winners all told. There is no shortage of potential top-notchers in this year's sale with 30 Frankels, 11 Dubawis, 30 Wootton Bassetts and 35 horses by Sea The Stars...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features a seven-figure yearling. 4.10 Newmarket, Mdn, £25,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT DISTANT STORM (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) bids to become Charlie Appleby's fourth winner of this important maiden since 2017, having topped the Arqana May Breeze-Up when selling for €1.9 million. A son of George Washington's...