Zoffany Colt Storms Home To Win Group 1 National Stakes

Thunder Moon (2c Zoffany - Small Sacrifice, by Sadler’s Wells) stormed to the top of the Guineas market when running out a taking winner of the Group 1 National Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend.

An impressive winner over course and distance last month, the Joseph O’Brien-trained colt had since switched to the ownership of Mrs CC Regalado-Gonzalez. Declan McDonogh rode the bay to chase the leaders and became short of room two furlongs out, forcing him to wait until inside the final furlong to produce his challenge. He showed a smart turn of foot to lead inside the final 100 yards and soon went clear, beating Wembley (Galileo) by a length and a half.

A delighted Declan McDonogh said after the race, “I just got on heels when I was trying to angle out a little bit and had to bite the bullet and sit and suffer, but he showed great heart when he got a bit of room and always gave me the feel that he was going to run them down.” He was clearly impressed by the winner, adding, “He's got a serious will to win – he just wanted to run by them. He's a strong traveller and seemed like he was in third gear the whole way.”

Bred by Whisperview Trading, Thunder Moon provided Joseph O’Brien with his second Group 1 of the weekend following Saturday’s St Leger won by Galileo Chrome (Australia). The talented juvenile becomes a third Group 1 winner by Zoffany, whose daughter Albigna won last season’s Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac.