Night of Thunder (Ire)

Entering Saturday's G2 Dullingham Park S., or Solonaway S. as it is registered, slightly under the radar, Clipper Logistics' 3-year-old Flight Plan (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) did it for Britain as he led his rivals a merry dance to dominate the Leopardstown mile contest. Tried in the 2000 Guineas in the spring, the Karl Burke-trained 15-2 shot who was last seen finishing third in York's G3 Strensall S. was always in control under an enterprising ride from Danny Tudhope. Playing perfectly to the front-running bias that this track is...

   Friday sees the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. take centre stage at York with the returning heroine of last year Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) the star turn in the line-up for the Win-and-You're-In contest ahead of the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Emphatic 12 months ago when dismissing the 2-year-old The Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), the John Quinn-trained 6-year-old has to do it all again with another juvenile Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) lurking with his 21-pounds weight-for-age swing. Having come up...

Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), winner of the Windsor Castle S. and later the G3 Jaeger Lecoultre Molecomb S., has been supplemented to the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. at York on Friday with Andrea Atzeni set to ride. Jason Hart, who was onboard for those two victories, maintains his partnership with three-time Group 1 winner Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). Big Evs will be the only 2-year-old in contention. "It's [been] a long time since a two-year-old has won the Nunthorpe [Kingsgate Native, 2007]. So,...

Providing a boost to her G3 Silver Flash S. conqueror Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Al Shira'aa Farms' Vespertilio (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Prudente {Fr}, by Dansili {GB}) sprung forward to capture Saturday's seven-furlong G2 Alpha Centauri Debutante S. in style at The Curragh. Beaten 1 1/2 lengths when second to Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star in that important staging post at Leopardstown last month, the Willie McCreery-trained €320,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate was held up in last early by a confident Billy Lee content to let it all play out...

Ornellaia (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), winner last out at Goodwood Aug. 3, will target a series of group tests over the coming weeks, according to Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for Amo Racing. The Dominic Ffrench Davis-trained filly is slated to make her first foray into group company Saturday in the G2 Prix du Calvados at Deauville. Prior to her seven-furlong score, the 2-year-old finished third behind Sacred Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})--subsequent G3 Princess Margaret S. winner--in a six-furlong Newmarket maiden July 13. "We went to Newmarket...

John Quinn's stable star Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Pure Illusion {Ire}, by Danehill) took four starts to get rolling last year and provided symmetry to her profile with another post-Summer Solstice springboard in Friday's G2 King George Qatar S. at Goodwood. Last term's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, G1 Nunthorpe and G1 Flying Five heroine broke sharply from the traps and was under a firm grip in second as habitual pacesetter Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}) led the way at a healthy clip. Cruising to the front on the...

A strong catalogue of 543 yearlings, featuring a Kingman (GB) half-brother to Group 1 winner Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy), will go under the hammer during Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale on Sept. 26-27. The €550,000 foal, who counts GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. heroine Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) in his immediate family, will be offered as lot 313 by Stauffenberg Bloodstock. They will also offer a Masar (Ire) half-sister to G1 Deutsches Derby hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) as lot 373. There are also...

Top sprinter Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) will return from her mid-summer break with a start in the G2 King George Qatar S. at Goodwood on Friday, Aug. 4, trainer John Quinn confirmed on Wednesday. The triple Group 1-winning sprinter ran second in her seasonal bow, the G2 Duke of York S. in May, and was second and third in the G1 King's Stand S. and G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot last month. "Last year we gave her a mid-season break, which she did...

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This column is highlighted by the victory of Fev Rover in the GII Nassau S. at Woodbine. Gutaifan Mare Takes Second Canadian Grade II The G1 1000 Guineas-placed Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) added her third group/graded win to her resume with an open-length victory in the Nassau S. for Tracy Farmer and trainer Mark Casse (video). Bred by Manister House Stud, the 5-year-old was a £20,000 Goffs UK Premier yearling turned 695,000gns...

Classic winner and Group 1 sire Night Of Thunder (Ire) is one of seven European-based Darley stallions available on Southern Hemisphere time whose fees were revealed on Thursday. Set to stand for €50,000 at Kildangan Stud in Ireland, the son of Dubawi (Ire) sired his first international Group 1 winner with Kukeracha (NZ) from his only Australasian-bred crop. Former shuttler Palace Pier (GB) leads the way at Dalham Hall Stud at £25,000; and roster veteran and fellow former shuttle stallion Iffraaj (GB), who has accounted for 11 Group 1 winners...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Insights features this season's Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up top filly Nariko skipping Thirsk in favor of a Newcastle novice. 19.20 Newcastle, Nov, £15,000, 2yo, 5f (AWT) Having skipped a six-furlong test at Thirsk yesterday, Kevin Ryan trainee NARIKO (IRE) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) is rerouted further North for...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Insights features this season's Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up top filly Nariko. 13.50 Thirsk, Novice, £6,500, 2yo, f, 6fT NARIKO (IRE) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) debuts two months after becoming the highest-priced filly at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale when selling for 600,000gns. Owned by Furkhat Ibragimov and...