Night of Thunder (Ire)

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...

The breezes for the Osarus Breeze-Up Sale were held over the training track at La Teste-de-Buch on Wednesday. Just over 50 lots remain in the sale set for Thursday in the south-west of France. Some of the lots of note include a colt by Dark Angel (Ire) (lot 9) consigned by Ard Erin Stud from the family of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Rosanara (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire}) and a colt by Acclamation (GB) (lot 65) who is kin to multiple group winner Signora Cabello (Ire) (Camacho {GB}); and M.C. Thoroughbreds...

There was high drama at the beginning of Saturday's G3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham S. at Newbury when Frankie Dettori parted company with G1 Dewhurst S. hero and leading G1 2000 Guineas contender Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) upon exiting the stalls, which allowed Manton Thoroughbreds VII's reopposing Dewhurst seventh Isaac Shelby (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Kentucky Belle {Ire}, by Heliostatic {Ire}) a free run to make all for a second pattern-race triumph in the seven-furlong feature. Last term's G2 Superlative S. victor was swiftly into stride, away...

Lot 162, a bay filly by Night Of Thunder (Ire) consigned by Grove Stud, took the lead just after the halfway point of the second session of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale when selling for 600,000gns to bloodstock agent Kerri Radcliffe. A half-sister to G3 Molecomb S. winner, G1 Middle Park S. third, and sire Rumble Inthejungle (GB) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}), the May-foaled current sale topper is also a half-sister to the Group 2-placed Great Prospector (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}). This is also the family of G2 Superlative S. hero and...

Most of the attention was focused on Ballydoyle's first juvenile runner Alabama (Ire) (No Nay Never) before Cork's five-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden on Saturday, but ultimately it was another newcomer in the Paddy Twomey-trained Noche Magica (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Pious Alexander {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) who stole the limelight to become the first European 2-year-old TDN Rising Star of 2023. Always travelling smoothly anchored towards the back by Billy Lee, Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi's £230,000 top-priced colt of the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale moved forward with ease...

Trainer John Quinn is "happy" with three-time Group 1 winner Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) ahead of a start in the 5 1/2-furlong $1-million GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland on Nov. 5. The 5-year-old drew stall six in the field of 16, two to the inside of crack American sprinter Golden Pal (Uncle Mo). She also carries three pounds less than the colt, and Quinn is relishing a clash with the Wesley Ward trainee. Ward also has multiple Group 1 winner Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (stall...

Night Of Thunder (Ire)'s progeny proved popular throughout the first two books of Tattersalls, and a chestnut colt (lot 1073) hammered for 575,000gns to Jamie McCalmont on behalf of M V Magnier/White Birch near the end of the session. Offered by breeder Mountarmstrong Stud, he is a son of Listed Prix Six Perfections heroine Asidious Alexander (Ire) (Windsor Knot {Ire}), who is a half-sister to the stakes winner and Group 2-placed Accepted (Ire) (Approve {Ire}). His dam also gained group black type with placed efforts in both the G3 Prix...

Not content with conquering Group 1s in France, Britain and now Ireland, John Quinn nominated the Breeders' Cup as the most likely destination for Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) after his superstar sprinter scorched to Flying Five S. glory under Jason Hart at the Curragh on Sunday. The race is a "Win And You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Quinn, a native of Tipperary who trains in England, described the winner as the best he's trained in the build-up to Longines Irish Champions Weekend and...

Placing herself in a different stratosphere of sprinters, John Fairley's Breeders' Cup-bound homebred Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) powered to glory in Friday's G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. at York only a dozen days after her tour de force in the 6 1/2-furlong G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest. Returning to the scene of her emphatic G2 1895 Duke of York S. success May 11, the 5-1 shot enjoyed an ideal lead throughout the early stages from the three-years-younger The Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) before taking the...

Eleanora Kennedy's 2-year-old filly Mauiewowie (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--La Chapelle {Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) made it two wins from three starts, and a career high, when annexing Saturday's Listed Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Curragh S. over five furlongs. In a strong renewal, the 7-4 favourite prevailed by a short head from familiar rival Treasure Trove (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), with Listed Prix La Fleche runner-up Funny Money Honey (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) a further 2 1/2 lengths adrift in third. Saturday, Curragh, Ireland QATAR RACING & EQUESTRIAN...

Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Pure Illusion {Ire}, by Danehill) had issued a warning to the sprinting ranks with a dynamic success in the May 11 G2 1895 Duke of York S. and the John Quinn-trained mare followed through at Deauville on Sunday when dominating the 6 1/2-furlong G1 ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest. Sixth but in the mix at the end of Royal Ascot's G1 Platinum Jubilee S. in the interim June 18, the 16-1 shot was full of energy early with Jason Hart keen to keep some...

Manton Thoroughbreds' hitherto undefeated 2-year-old colt Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Kentucky Belle {Ire}), by Heliostatic {Ire}) registered a taking 3 1/2-length success in his May 31 unveiling going 6 1/2 furlongs at Newbury, the chestnut's only prior start, and doubled up in game fashion after a ding-dong tussle with Godolphin's Victory Dance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) throughout the closing stages of Saturday's seven-furlong G2 bet365 Superlative S. at Newmarket. The 3-1 chance was the sharpest of five into stride and accepted a tow from Dark Thirty (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus})...