Former six-time British champion jockey Kieren Fallon pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent racing history by winning the Qipco 2,000 Guineas riding rank outsider Night Of Thunder to victory at Newmarket yesterday.
Night of Thunder, who was making only his fourth racecourse appearance, gave veteran owner and Emirati businessman Saeed Manana his first success in the 206-year-old Classic.
Manana, a multiple international Group 1 winning owner, is a close associate of Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who was present at Newmarket to watch the race with his son Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai.
Silence fell upon Newmarket as Night Of Thunder came between the two horses most people believed were favourites to win the 2000 Guineas.
Two separate races were taking place across the wide expanse of the Rowley Mile, with favourite Kingman ending with clear superiority on the far rail, while Aidan O’Brien’s Australia, next on the favoured list, finished purposefully close to the stands.
Night Of Thunder actually began challenging next to Kingman and ended up on Australia’s shoulder as he swerved dramatically across the track but was still able to hand Richard Hannon a fairly unexpected Classic at his first attempt, and end a far longer wait for Fallon.
Even Hannon, who took over the licence from his champion trainer father at the start of the year, fielded a stronger candidate in the shape of 2013 champion juvenile Toormore.
Kingman offered a more-than-respectable defence of his unbeaten record, but the matter was out of jockey James Doyle’s hands as although the wayward Night Of Thunder had been soundly beaten by his mount in the Greenham Stakes, he had clearly shown considerable improvement and had half a length in hand by the line.
“It’s the stuff of dreams,” said Hannon. “I thought he’d run very well and we were a bit disappointed after Newbury. But all our horses need a trial and it’s a tribute to him that he has come back and turned the form around with Kingman.”
Hannon, who also saddled fourth-placed Shifting Power, went on: “I can’t say winning the Guineas was in the air, and we wouldn’t have been too worried if it didn’t happen, but they are three very good horses. But it makes a big difference to everyone at home and it’s nice to have a 2000 Guineas winner.”
