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Thunder edges Bunbury thriller

Tom Marquand was seen at his brilliant best when snatching victory from the jaws of defeat aboard More Thunder, who gained compensation for his defeat at Royal Ascot with a last-gasp success in the bet365 Bunbury Cup.

The Classic-winning rider had already showed his nous in the saddle when making the early decision to switch the 6/5 favourite from an unfavourable draw in stall 13 to bag a position close to the favoured stands side rail.

As the field hit the final quarter of a mile in the seven prize it looked a much more open affair than the betting suggested, which had the race effectively priced up as a match between the eventual winner and Buckingham Palace Stakes second Akkadian Thunder.

With plenty of those challenges coming to nothing, victory in the race appeared to be heading the way of the Ian Williams-trained Aalto for the second year running. But with one late thrust close to the line the short-price favourite put his head down at the right time to score by a nose and go one better than his narrow defeat in the Wokingham at the Royal meeting.

Winning trainer William Haggas said: “For me they didn’t go fast at all and he really struggled to get momentum. I think he is better going fast. Tom came in and said if you run him at this trip again you want to go hard. Six furlongs, he feels, is his best distance.

“He only won when his head was down, but I’ve had a lot this year where mine have had their heads up and got beat and that was going through my mind. He could (still run in handicaps), but I think he deserves a shot at a better race.

“We considered the July Cup strongly, but we also wanted to go up to seven furlongs at some stage and this was a good opportunity and that is why we came here. We will have a crack at a six furlong stakes race. He just needs pace this horse.”

Column resumes progress

Fifth Column resumed his progression since undergoing a gelding operation at the end of last year when leading home a Godolphin one-two in the bet365 Mile.

Having been drawn on the wrong side when finishing seventh in the Britannia at Royal Ascot the John and Thady Gosden-trained son of Kingman got back to winning ways back in more calmer waters.

Pressing on late on with the hat-trick seeking Bedouin Prince it was to be the 4-1 chance who got the better of the argument when scoring by a neck to give winning rider Moore his second victory on the card.

Thady Gosden said: “He has made good progress this year and he won well at Sandown Park in the Esher Cup before Ascot. He was just a little bit unlucky in the Britannia, but he has come back here and won well. He won his side at Ascot, but the race set up better on the other side of the track, however he has come back here and got the job done.

“The gelding operation has clearly helped him. He has a progressive profile, but whether he can step up into stakes company we will have to wait and see.”

Belt on target for Rutter

Orion’s Belt hit the back of the net for Premier League star Georginio Rutter when putting her previous experience to good use in the Rossdales British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at Newmarket.

Backed as if defeat was out of the question on her debut over six furlongs at Salisbury the Richard Hannon-trained daughter of Starman failed to deliver on that occasion when finishing fourth.

However, with that effort behind her the well supported 15-8 favourite made amends in clear cut fashion this time around under Ryan Moore on her step up to seven furlongs.

Bounced out into the lead moments after the gates opened the market leader, who is owned by Brighton & Hove Albion ace together with Jinky Farms, never saw another rival before crossing the line three and three quarter lengths clear of debutant New Vega.

Tony Gorman, head lad, said: “It was her first time on the grass at Salisbury, but she learnt a lot. She has had plenty of time in between that race and she has done it lovely. She has always been a lovely filly and she has a great mind on her. That is exactly what we thought we had earlier in the year. It was a step up in trip today, but I think even at six furlongs she would have won as she was doing everything nicely.

“Once our horses have had a run they know their jobs. She is a lovely filly and as you know we always thought that. There are loads of options. She is a big filly so we will give her a bit of time, but she is by a proper stallion.”

Magnificent seven for Buick

William Buick once again underlined why he is worth his weight in gold on the July Course when delivering Royal Velvet from the rear of the field to land the Trustatrader 20th Anniversary Fillies’ Handicap.

Having finished a close up third against the boys over course and distance on her last start 16 days ago the 4/1 chance went two places better when swooping home close to the line back against her own sex to provider her jockey with a seventh winner of the meeting.

The concluding stages of the seven furlong prize looked set to be fought out by favourite Miss Nightfall and Havana Pusey. However, neither had accounted for the daughter of Lightning Spear, who motored home close to the stands side rail under Buick before going on to prevail by a length.

Winning trainer William Knight said: “She is climbing herself through the ranks and she loves that fast ground. I was quite happy with where she was, and the seven looked like it was fast enough there, but she came good at the end there.

“She is still probably on the right side of the handicap. Coming back to seven furlongs has really helped her and that always helps having William on board as he gave her a great ride. He doesn’t know the filly, but he let her go through the gears nicely. She has been progressive and I would like to think we can try and get some black type with her at some point as being a filly that is very important.”

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