Stakes winner for Night Of Thunder

Vespertilio lands the Dash Stakes at the Curragh

Night Of Thunder’s brilliant season continued as his four-year-old daughter Vespertilio landed a thrilling edition of the Listed Dash Stakes over 6F at the Curragh on Sunday, 29 June.

Settled in rear, Vespertilio had to be patient while waiting for a gap but showed an electric turn of foot to quicken into the lead when the opportunity arose, just holding off a late challenge from My Mate Alfie.

Bred in France by Ecurie des Monceaux and Skymarc Farm, Vespertilio was sold for €320,000 at the Arqana August Yearling Sale and was the winner of the G2 Debutante Stakes as a juvenile. She is out of the winning Dansili mare Prudente, herself a half-sister to Listed scorer Prudenzia and a full-sister to G3 winner Pacifique

It has been a remarkable year for Night Of Thunder, with four individual G1 winners, including Ombudsman’s thrilling victory in the G1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot – a performance that marked him as the highest-rated older horse in Europe. He also sired his first Classic as Desert Flower landed a second G1 victory in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.