More Thunder Holds On For Bunbury Cup Glory

William Haggas will test the water at Group-race level before the season is out with More Thunder following his narrow success in the bet365 Bunbury Cup at Newmarket.


The winner of two important six-furlong handicaps on the Rowley Mile in the spring, the four-year-old was beaten a head by Get It when bidding for his hat-trick in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot last month.


More Thunder was a 6-5 favourite to return on the winning path in this ₤ 100,000 contest and having actually been left last by Tom Marquand early on, he was angled towards the stands' rail to install his difficulty and quickened up smartly to challenge for the lead.


More Thunder gets up on the line to land the @bet365 Bunbury Cup pic.twitter.com/KcjDydcCPF


In 2015's winner Aalto, a 40-1 shot to successfully safeguard his crown, recuperated from an uninspiring run of type to make a real race of it inside the last of seven furlongs and the set flashed by the post practically as one, however it was More Thunder who had his head down where it mattered, with the judge confirming him the winner by a nose.


Haggas stated: "I need to enjoy it again, however for me they didn't go quick at all and he had a hard time to get momentum. I believe he's better going quickly and Tom was available in and stated 'if you run him over this journey once again, they require to go hard'. Six furlongs, he feels, is his finest trip."


More Thunder holds big-race entries in major handicaps and Pattern races and it is clear his is eager to see him contend in Group One company at some phase.


William Haggas at Newmarket on Saturday (Joe Giddens/PA)


When asked if he had actually believed about running in the July Cup later on in the afternoon, Haggas included: "We considered it strongly, but we likewise wanted to increase to seven furlongs at some phase and this was an opportunity to do so.


"That is why he came here, however we will at a six-furlong stakes race. He simply needs rate this horse, but in six-furlong Group races, you'll see in the July Cup, they do not go slow!


"He might run in another handicap, but I think he should have a shot at a good race now."