Six
juvenile heats at Warwick Farm on Monday produced some promising winners
including a blue-blooded colt whose uncle is Royal Ascot contender Merchant
Navy.
A $310,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Segenhoe draft for Darby Racing De
Burgh Equine, two year-old More Than Ready (USA) colt God of Thunder is the
first foal of Merchant Navy’s equally talented full sister Jolie Bay.
Trained by Team Hawkes, God of Thunder trialled nicely for fourth on May 7 at Rosehill
and was then well fancied on debut at Canterbury two weeks ago, but things did
not go according to plan.
He hung badly all the way down the home straight, giving Brenton Avdulla a
torrid ride before finishing second last and was ordered back to the barrier trials.
Fitted with blinkers and jumping from gate one, God of Thunder was on his best
behaviour this time for Avdulla and looked a bright prospect.
He jumped well and held the fence before zooming clear under a good hold down
the running to win the 797 metre heat by more than four lengths in a brisk 47.46
seconds.
God of Thunder is the first foal of Jolie Bay, a Group II winner that was also
second in the Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes, a race won last year by her
brother Merchant Navy.
Segenhoe Stud sold the current yearling from Jolie Bay, a colt by Deep Field,
at Inglis Easter this year for $530,000 to Lucky Owners Pty Ltd.
Other two year-old trial winners were Gotta Minute (Choisir), Couvre Lit (Bernardini
(USA), Foxpack (Foxwedge), Skyray (Smart Missile), Marmaris (Lonhro) and
Click
here for all the trial results.