Night Of Thunder breaks Group 1 duck in Queensland Derby

Night Of Thunder's first Group 1 winner emerged slightly unexpectedly early on Saturday with the victory of Kukeracha in the Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm.

Darley's Guineas and Lockinge winner made an outstanding start with his first couple of European crops from 2019, seeing his fee rocket to a current high of €75,000, and he has been responsible for the likes of Dante Stakes hero Thunderous and Auyantepui, who took last year's Italian Oaks. This was his 12th individual Group winner

Kukeracha, who led home a one-two for Chris Waller, is a result of his sire's shuttle visit to Australia. New Zealand-bred by Dr Chris Phillips, he was bought for NZ$130,000 (£66,500/€77,400) by Mulcaster Bloodstock from Waikato Stud from Book 1 of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka.

It was a third win from 13 career starts for the gelding, whose prior successes had been at a considerably lower level. Guided by James McDonald, he held off stablemate Senor Toba (Toronado) by a short head. Hot favourite Explosive Jack, already a multiple Derby winner, was third.

Out of the AP Indy mare Portrait Of A Lady, Kukeracha is a half-brother to Australian Group 3 winner Cameo and had earned his own black type with recent placings in both the Queensland Guineas and the Rough Habit Plate.

"We had a great opinion of him as a two-year-old and he just lost his way a little bit," Waller told Channel 7 in Australia.

"Typical story - he was gelded and just taken through the system.

"His run in the Queensland Guineas was good, last start in the Rough Habit was good and today was brilliant."

The same meeting saw another Irish-based shuttler, Ballylinch's Lope De Vega, clock up his 13th Group 1 winner when Vega One poked his nose through close to the line in the Kingsford-Smith Cup.

Newsells Park's Nathaniel, another stallion having a good time of it lately, claimed a Group 3 through the Juddmonte-bred Spirit Ridge in the Premier's Cup

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