Isaac Shelby continues the superlatives for Night Of Thunder

Night Of Thunder’s fourth year with runners on the ground is shaping up to be on par with his impressive achievements so far, with Isaac Shelby becoming the Kildangan Stud resident’s first European juvenile black-type winner of 2022 in the bet365 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

So far this year the results have been coming from the older guard. Highfield Princess, the 1895 Duke of York Stakes winner, has emerged as one of the scene’s top sprinters while a third Group winner was Lola Showgirl, last seen taking the Chartwell Stakes at Lingfield in the spring.

Night Of Thunder made such an impression in 2019 and 2020 that his fee jumped up to what remains a lofty €75,000.

Isaac Shelby, who was bred by Elaine Chivers through Ruth Pitman’s Park Wood Stud in Gloucestershire, was achieved through the stallion’s earlier cover price of £15,000 when he was standing at Darley’s Dalham Hall Stud and before the likes of smart French sprinter Suesa and last year’s Pretty Polly winner Thundering Nights had come along to embellish his standing.

Night Of Thunder has emerged as a major member of the Darley empireCredit: Darley

Isaac Shelby was bought by Sam Sangster for £92,000 at last year’s Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale to run in his family's famous blue and green silks for Manton Thoroughbreds.

A half-brother by Al Kazeem is set to be offered later this year while his dam, the unraced Heliostatic mare Kentucky Belle, was covered by Sergei Prokofiev this year.

Trainer Brian Meehan, who can now aim for even bigger things with the colt, was full of praise for his associate.

“I’m so pleased for Sam, we do a lot together," he said. "He buys horses for me and my clients as a bloodstock agent and he runs these partnerships as well. It keeps the colours alive, which is really cool, he’s a great guy and I can’t thank him enough for his support."

In taking the Group 2 event, Isaac Shelby became a tenth black-type winner this year for Night Of Thunder, the son of Dubawi (sire of narrow runner-up Victory Dance) who landed the 2,000 Guineas and Lockinge during his career with Richard Hannon.

The haul includes a one-three at Pontefract on Tuesday, when his daughter Thunder Beauty landed the Listed Pipalong Stakes with the greatest of ease.

No Nay Never is one of the younger stars of Darley’s powerhouse rival Coolmore, having begun life as a stallion a year earlier than Night Of Thunder, and seen to good effect at Royal Ascot through juvenile scorers Little Big Bear and Meditate.

Alcohol Free, who burst back to form in such style in the Darley July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday, was already one of No Nay Never’s three top-level winners thanks to her exploits at two and three.

However, he can now boast an estimable record in the premier sprint race as he had already supplied the 2019 winner and now fellow Coolmore resident Ten Sovereigns.

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