More Thunder Holds On For Bunbury Cup Glory

William Haggas will check 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 2 valuable 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 trail in this ₤ 100,000 contest and having been dropped out last by Tom Marquand early on, he was angled towards the stands' rail to mount his obstacle 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, bounced back from an uninspiring run of type to make a real race of it inside the last of 7 furlongs and the pair flashed by the post almost as one, but 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 require to enjoy it once again, but for me they didn't go quickly at all and he struggled to get momentum. I believe he's better going fast and Tom came in and stated 'if you run him over this trip again, they require to go hard'. Six furlongs, he feels, is his best journey."


More Thunder holds big-race entries in major handicaps and Pattern races and it is clear his trainer is keen to see him complete in Group One company at some stage.


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


When asked if he had actually considered running in the July Cup later in the afternoon, Haggas added: "We considered it strongly, but we also wanted to increase to 7 furlongs at some stage and this was a chance to do so.


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


"He could run in another handicap, but I believe he should have a chance at an excellent race now."