Night Of Thunder sired two new Black Type winners on Saturday, 9 September when his three-year-old son Flight Plan landed the G2 Park Stakes at Leopardstown, Ireland followed by Al Musmak who claimed the Listed Ascendant Stakes at Haydock Park.
Flight Plan, who is trained by Karl Burke, jumped well and was soon taken to the front where he remained throughout the eight-furlong G2 contest. Stretching out easily in the final furlong, the rest of the field couldn’t reach him and he kept on well to score by a length and a quarter under Daniel Tudhope.
🇬🇧 A UK winner at the Irish Champions Festival!
— Leopardstown RC (@LeopardstownRC) September 9, 2023
Flight Plan makes all of the running in the G2 Dullingham Park Stakes for @karl_burke & Danny Tudhope pic.twitter.com/saMFH6FeVX
Owned by Clipper Logistics, the colt ran twice last year, breaking his maiden on his second start. He made a promising start to this year when he lost nothing in defeat when finishing second by a neck in the Listed Burradon Stakes at Newcastle, he also took third in the G3 Strensall Stakes at York last month.
Bred by Miss K J Keir, Flight Plan was a 150,000gns purchase from Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling sale. He is out of the winning Pivotal mare, Romp, herself a half-sister to G2-winner Rodaballo.
At Haydock, juvenile colt, Al Musmak, recorded his first Black Type success in the eight furlong Listed Ascendant Stakes on only his third start. He made a successful start to his career when winning at Ascot on debut in July which was followed up by taking second place in the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes at the same track on his second run.
Trained by Roger Varian, Al Musmak travelled strongly towards the rear, under Ben Curtis he began to make progress with two furlongs to run and made his challenge to take up the lead where then he ran well on to hit the line strongly to post a length and a half victory.
Nice prospect! Al Musmak books his ticket to one of the big end-of-season juvenile contests with a solid victory for Roger Varian and Ben Curtis in the @Betfair Daily Tips at betting.betfair Ascendant Stakes pic.twitter.com/Gi1QeymHVA
— Haydock Park Races (@haydockraces) September 9, 2023
Future plans for Al Musmak could include the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes.
Night Of Thunder is now the sire of 38 Black Type winners. Of those, three have won at the highest level, including Champion Sprinting filly Highfield Princess, who runs in the G1 Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh tomorrow. He is also the sire of G1 winners Kukeracha and Thundering Heights.
