Thundering Nights, a daughter of Night Of Thunder, became her sire’s first European G1 winner with a gritty display in the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday, 27 June.
Runner-up in Group company twice this season, the four-year-old filly showed a tenacious attitude, striking the front at the final furlong and fending off a challenge from the year younger Santa Barbara to win by a neck.
Bred by Manjri Farm, Thundering Nights is the first foal out of the winning Cape Cross mare Cape Castle. She is out of a Seeking The Gold half-sister to G3 Winter Hill winner Queen’s Best, dam of G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf heroine Queen’s Trust. The third dam is G3 Nell Gwyn winner and dual G1-placed Cloud Castle, an In The Wings half-sister to G1 Derby Italiano victor and sire Luso.
Thundering Nights caps a fantastic month for her sire Night Of Thunder who not only sired two Royal Ascot winners in Lola Showgirl and Highfield Princess, but also three further Stakes performers in June alone including G3 Munster Oaks winner Thunder Kiss.
Last month, three-year-old New Zealand-bred Kukeracha became Night Of Thunder’s first G1 winner when taking the G1 Queensland Derby and is one off 22 individual Stakes winners for the young sire.
