Thundering triumph for king Kieren
SIX-TIME champion jockey Kieren Fallon showed there is still plenty of life in his career when delivering outsider Night Of Thunder to a shock victory in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
The 40-1 shot was a first Classic for trainer Richard Hannon, who took over from his father Richard Snr at the start of the year.
The half-length success from 6-4 favourite Kingman was also a massive form turn-around. When the pair met in Newbury’s Greenham Stakes last month, it was Kingman who emerged four-and-a-half lengths to the good.
In one way, yesterday’s re-match was deeply unsatisfactory, with the 14-runner field splitting into two groups on opposite sides of the Rowley Mile track.
But the colt put at biggest disadvantage was probably Aidan O’Brien’s third-placed Australia, the clear ‘winner’ of the stand’s side group under trainer’s son Joseph.
Night Of Thunder and Kingman both raced on the far side and were given a good lead by Spanish raider and ultimate sixth-place finisher Noozhoh Canarias. It was Night Of Thunder who produced the most potent turn of foot before clinging on for victory despite hanging violently left in the shadow of the winning post.
Hannon Snr produced three winners of the 2,000 Guineas — Mon Fils (1973), Don’t Forget Me (1987) and Tirol (1990). Although his 39year-old son was largely credited with producing his last Classic — Sky Lantern in last year’s 1,000 Guineas — this was a hugely important win with expectations so high for his 270-horse stable.
The emotional trainer, who also saddled fourth-placed Shifting Power, said: ‘You grow up at school reading the Racing Post, watching t hi Channel 4, thinking you might get there one day and I am delighted. We were a little disappointed after Newbury but all of our horses generally do need a trial.’
For Fallon, however, the success was even more significant. Night Of Thunder, a ride he was handed when Hannon’s No 1 jockey Richard Hughes chose to ride stablemate Toormore (seventh), was the 49-yearold’s first British Classic winner since Alexandrova in the 2006 Oaks.
With 2013 delivering only 62 winners and Fallon losing the support of his main supporter, trainer Luca C Cumani, i th the f future t h had d l looked k d bl bleak. k But an invitation to ride out for Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor in Dubai this winter gave him hope.
Fallon said: ‘I wasn’t thinking my career was over but it was hard to believe it would happen today as he had a lot of ground to make up. Richard Hughes gave me a lot of confidence with this horse all week.’
A re-match between the pair is likely in the St James’s Palace at Royal Ascot. Meanwhile, muchhyped Australia may have been beaten but he is now 7-4 for the Derby at Epsom, a half mile longer race which should suit him better.