Night Of Thunder's golden spell continues as unbeaten Kon Tiki strikes at York

The golden spell for Night Of Thunder shows no sign of abating after Kon Tiki stretched her unbeaten record to three when she picked up a first black-type success in the Michael Seely Memorial Fillies' Stakes at York.

An 11th individual stakes winner for the Kildangan Stud resident this year and 66th overall, the Peter Harris-owned filly had won on debut at Wolverhampton in December before following up at Kempton last month. The three-year-old travelled particularly well on the turf to win the Listed contest by half a length from Bermuda Longtail.

Kon Tiki was bred by Brightwalton Bloodstock and is the second runner out of their homebred mare Maid Up, a daughter of Mastercraftsman who secured Group 3 laurels in the March Stakes at Goodwood.

Maid Up is also the dam of Lope De Vega colt Champagne Prince, who sported Harris's silks to victory in last year's Wild Flower Stakes at Kempton.

Kon Tiki was purchased by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for 220,000gns from Tattersalls Book 1 in 2023, while her half-brother fetched 230,000gns from the same sale the year before. Maid Up, who hails from the Juddmonte family of Oaks heroine Reams Of Verse, has an unnamed two-year-old Too Darn Hot colt, a yearling filly by Kingman and a filly foal by Lope De Vega.

Maid Up and Rob Hornby land the March Stakes at Goodwood in August

Maid Up winning the March Stakes at GoodwoodCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

This latest win continues Night Of Thunder's outstanding year, headed by the unbeaten 1,000 Guineas heroine Desert Flower and American Grade 1 scorer Choisya. He stands this year for a career-high fee of €150,000, having stood for a fee of €100,000 in 2024 and 2023.

Earlier in the afternoon, the Listed EBF Marygate Fillies' Stakes was picked up by Starspangledbanner's Secret Hideaway, who won in the colours of Linda Shanahan.

Bred by Summerhill Bloodstock, the juvenile had gone unsold at 37,000gns at last year's Goffs Orby Book 1 sale. She was winning on her second start, having placed second at Ripon late last month.

Secret Hideaway is out of the stakes-placed Acclamation mare Ejaazah, who is a daugther of Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes winner and Fillies' Mile third English Ballet. That Swettenham Stud-bred mare is a Danehill Dancer close relation to Lady Bamford's Prix de Diane heroine Star Of Seville and a half-sister to St James's Palace Stakes runner-up King Of Comedy.

Secret Hideaway is one of 51 individual black-type winners for Starspangledbanner, those are headlined by 35 Group/Graded winners to date. He stands at Coolmore this year for €45,000.