Global Weekly Review - 18.05.15

Night Of Thunder made an immediate impact for Godolphin by winning the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, thus setting up a clash to savour with Hong Kong champion Able Friend and star French miler Solow in Royal Ascot's Queen Anne Stakes next month.

Trainer Richard Hannon reiterated the view that Night Of Thunder is right up there with the best milers that he and his father have handled over the past two decades. "He doesn't have to prove anything now. He's won a 2,000 Guineas and a Lockinge. A feat that only Brigadier Gerard and Frankel have been able to achieve. He will make a very good stallion," Hannon said.

Carrying the Godolphin royal blue colours for the first time, Night Of Thunder displayed admirable determination to repel all challengers in the closing stages despite drifting to the far side of the track. He held off stablemate Toormore by a neck, with Arod third.

Both Able Friend and Solow will be formidable rivals at the Royal meeting but Night Of Thunder, who beat Kingman and Australia in his 2,000 Guineas triumph last year, is well up to the task of taking them on. His credentials are impeccable.

Hong Kong racing has come a very long way in the 44 years in which it has been professional. Not just the John Moore-trained Able Friend has been advertising the current strength in its top ranks, his stablemate Dan Excel also did his bit for the cause by winning a second Singapore International Cup at Kranji on Sunday.

In a fine performance, Dan Excel defeated the Caspar Fownes-trained Military Attack, also a former winner of the race, with Quechua back in third.

Moore has an embarrassment of riches in Hong Kong at present. Hence, it was no surprise to hear him plotting a programme for Dan Excel that will take in Goodwood's Sussex Stakes, leaving Royal Ascot's Queen Anne as the sole European target for Able Friend.

Goodwood have been making overtures to Moore in attempt to lure Able Friend to the Sussex course for their 'Glorious' meeting. Dan Excel could provide a satisfactory solution for all parties. As a matter of interest, both horses are by Darley stallion Shamardal.

Hong Kong's strength was further underlined when the Paul O'Sullivan-trained Aerovelocity landed the Krisflyer International Sprint from local speedster Emperor Max, with Lucky Nine, another Hong Kong star, back in third.

In America, trainer Bob Baffert was bang on the mark when he declared "Great horses do great things." The words were spoken soon after Baffert sent out American Pharoah to win the Preakness on a sloppy track at Pimlico, Baltimore, on Saturday, and anybody who watched the race would readily agree with Baffert's sentiments.

American Pharoah seemed to relish the extreme conditions, and surely he must be a highly feasible hope to end the 37-year search for another American Triple Crown winner. His Preakness performance was better than his Kentucky Derby victory, and he gave every indication he would get the mile and a half of the Belmont Stakes in New York.

Two noteworthy items to round off this Global Report: Dermot Weld saddled Forgotten Rules to win Sunday's Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan and the staying son of Nayef retains favouritism for the Ascot Gold Cup --- and Golden Horn, the unbeaten Dante Stakes winner, is to be supplemented for the Investec Derby, it has been confirmed.

On further analysis of his Dante performance, it would have been a travesty for this exciting Cape Cross colt to have missed Epsom.