William Haggas has suggested More Thunder doesn’t have much to find with the best milers as he ramps up his preparation for the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes.
The five-year-old son of Night Of Thunder was massively improved by Haggas last season after departing from Sir Michael Stoute. He began life in handicaps off 87 at Newmarket, following up an immediate success with another off 92.
His running style leaves punters with one eye closed, and they’d have wished to shut both when beaten a head in the Wokingham. He swiftly made amends when a nose winner of the Bunbury Cup, and graduated out of handicaps with aplomb to run a career best RPR of 122, 11lbs superior to his previous, when winning the Hungerford Stakes.
His momentum came to a halt when beaten in the Prix de la Foret, but William Haggas is confident he can step up once more.
After having a racecourse gallop, Haggas told Sporting Life: “He was a bit rusty, but that is why we came here. He is going straight for the Lockinge because there isn’t a seven furlong race to run him in first.
“You can do as much as you like at home. But these gallops in getting them out and getting them in a scenario which they are not used to is much better for them. He gained confidence and therefore got better last season. He had a terrible draw in the Foret. But he ran a good race and don’t forget he had started his season at the Craven meeting.
“I’ve no idea how much more there is to come. He is rated 117 and the best milers will be about 125. So he has got about eight pounds to find, which is not the biggest amount.”
More Thunder can ‘stay the mile without any difficulty’ – William Haggas
Despite being raced exclusively beyond a mile with Sir Michael Stoute, Haggas was keen to immediately drop him in trip. However, given he won over ten furlongs, this step back up to a mile is no issue, suggests Haggas.
“Sir Michael Stoute, who is one of the best trainers of my lifetime, ran him over a mile-and-a-quarter. So you would think he is going to stay the mile without any difficulty. But he also showed lots of speed last year.
“He is funny as he races very lazily then he comes at the end. If you watch the Hungerford Stakes he wasn’t going to win anywhere bar the last bit of the race.”
On his future targets, it appears as if the Lockinge will be the deciding factor regarding his trip. Haggas continued: “We will start him in the Lockinge and decide which route to go after that. Seven furlongs is a bad distance to have a good horse. There are only two Group One races for them. But I imagine he will do the City Of York later on.”