More Thunder
More Thunder put up a nice performance on his seasonal return to finish second in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday. Settled at the rear of the field by Tom Marquand through the early stages of the race, he was still last with three furlongs to run, and he had passed just one rivals by the time they reached the two-furlong marker. He made good ground from there though through traffic. Notable Speech picked up impressively in front of him, and the Godolphin horse wasn't for catching, but More Thunder kept on well to move into second place behind him, three parts of a length in front of Zeus Olympios in third.
This was a fine return to action by William Haggas' horse. He was seriously progressive last season, his first with William Haggas, progressing through handicaps over six furlongs and only just beaten in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot, before winning the Bunbury Cup and the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes over seven. He proved that he was up to Group 1 class too on his final run last season, when he did well to finish fourth in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp from stall 16 in a race in which the low-drawn horses dominated, as they often do in that race.
The Queen Anne at Royal Ascot is on More Thunder's agenda now, and that makes sense. A winner over 10 furlongs as a three-year-old, he has the speed to win over six furlongs, but he proved on Saturday that a mile could be his optimum trip. His big run in the Wokingham last year tells you that he can operate at Ascot, and his hold-up style of racing is well suited to the track.
Newbury,16th May 2026
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