Thunder reigns at Ascot: three Group 1 winners in two days for Night Of Thunder

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Night Of Thunder's bid to retain his British and Irish champion sire title was given a significant boost as Ombudsman became the Darley sire's third Group 1 winner in two days of Royal Ascot. 

The Kildangan Stud resident was currently battling it out with Frankel, but now looks set to take a sizable lead in proceedings with victories for Ten Bob Tony and Bow Echo in the Queen Anne and St James's Palace Stakes respectively on Tuesday. For good measure, the son of Dubawi also had the second (More Thunder) and fourth (Zeus Olympios) in the Royal Ascot opener. 

Ten Bob Tony became the stallion's 12th individual Group or Grade 1 winner with that victory, while Bow Echo's hard-fought victory over Gstaad was the colt's second after an impressive 2,000 Guineas triumph last month. 

Ombudsman's four-length victory over Minnie Hauk, a winner of last year's Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks, and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe victor Daryz meant he secured a fourth top-level win. He was also landing his second successive Prince of Wales's Stakes, becoming the first back-to-back winner of the race since Muhtarram in 1994 and 1995.  

Bred by James Hanly, the five-year-old made 340,000gns to Godolphin from Ballyhimikin Stud at Tattersalls Book 2 in 2023. He has never finished outside the top two for John and Thady Gosden, and, as well as winning last year's Prince of Wales's, he also landed the Juddmonte International, while he annexed the Dubai Turf at Meydan in March. 

All being well, Ombudsman looks set to join his sire on the Darley stallion roster alongside Bow Echo in the future. 

John Gosden said of Ombudsman: "He's a lovely horse and he'll make a good stallion. He's got all the right things; he's got a good mind as well as a fabulous body and great strength."

Night Of Thunder's other top-level winners include last year's ill-fated Dewhurst victor Gewan, 1,000 Guineas heroine Desert Flower, Pretty Polly Stakes winner Thundering Nights - dam of this year's Oaks heroine Thundering On - Irish Champion Stakes winner Economics and top-class sprinter Highfield Princess. 

Up to €200,000 at Kildangan Stud this year, Night Of Thunder is winning the sort of showpiece events that suggest his fee might rise further in the face of further demand.

Night Of Thunder tops the sires' leader board at Royal Ascot this year with three winners, while No Nay Never is in joint second spot with New Bay with two winners apiece. 

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