Hungerford Stakes report and replay: More Thunder impresses

A last-gasp winner of the Bunbury Cup on his last start, William Haggas’ charge was stepping into Group Two company on Saturday and took the rise in class in his stride. As ever he raced off the pace and gradually warmed to his task, beginning his winning run two furlongs out.

He was in front inside the distance and drew two-and-a-quarter lengths clear of Lennox winner Witness Stand (13/2) and Marvelman (12/1).

Winning rider Tom Marquand told ITV Racing: “He’s a horse who has been a lot of fun this season and one we’ve held in high regard. I thought today was the best he’s paraded, the best he’s gone down and the hope was stepping into Group Two there’d be those horses who can really tow you along at a nice tempo unlike the Bunbury Cup.

“It gave him the perfect opportunity to really fill his lungs and get involved without the tempo rising because they were already going a nice gallop. He felt great and won decisively.”

When asked if he feels like a Group One horse he added: “When you win a Group Two like that you have to think so. He feels like one, we had Sacred and Tiber Flow win this race and they were just on the cusp but this guy is winning it while he’s still on that upward trajectory which is a little bit different.”

Regarding future plans he added: “York will come very quick, there’s also a nice option in France over seven, another Group One, and he might get that bit of cut in the ground which definitely isn’t against him.”

He was halved in price to 8/1 for the Betfair Sprint Cup by Paddy Power and Sky Bet and Marquand said of that race: “I genuinely still think a soft ground six on a stiff track, he definitely still has the speed for it. Ultimately is he better at seven? Probably. But he has so few options at the top level, we have one more with the City Of York now which is great, but he’s an exciting horse with a lot of possible targets.”

Hungerford Analysis - David Cleary

More Thunder made it four wins from five starts this year, with a clear-cut success in the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury. It was his first run out of handicap company and he took the rise in grade in his stride. More Thunder produced a very smart effort, one that ranks as the best in the Hungerford since his owner's Dream of Dreams won by seven lengths in 2020.

In a well-run race, More Thunder was typically held up. He began to make ground from under two furlongs out, getting to the front inside the last 200 yards and keeping on well, always holding off the challenge of the more prominently ridden runner-up Witness Stand. The three-year-old Marvelman took third, clear of the rest and putting up an improved effort himself.

With another improving seven-furlong performer Never So Brave, in the same ownership, More Thunder won't be asked to tackle the Sky Bet City of York Stakes next weekend, but a Group 1 assignment will surely be on the cards by the end of the season. He may need to drop back to six furlongs to find one, though interestingly he's been given an entry in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions day over a mile.

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