More thought to be given to Thunder target
The four-year-old, who moved to William Haggas following the retirement of Sir Michael Stoute, has found a new niche for himself sprinting this season.
Narrowly denied in the Wokingham, Tom Marquand got there on the line on Saturday and he holds of host of entries throughout the summer.
'Tom got there just in time and I have to say I don't think he'd have won if he hadn't changed sides, it made a difference,' said owner Saeed Suhail's racing manager Bruce Raymond.
'Of course we were very happy and now we need to decide what the best next step will be.
'We're all guessing about what his best trip will be. His owner told me he felt he'd have won the July Cup! I'm not so sure as it doesn't work out like that. I just feel seven furlongs might be his trip but that might be the easier route.
'I've had a word with Tom who feels six might be best for him. You can guarantee if we run over six next and he gets beat everyone will say 'why didn't you run him over seven?'.
'He's in all the right races and handicaps are out now – I just don't know where we'll run him.'
On the same afternoon another former Stoute inmate, Andrew Balding's Never So Brave, took the step up to Group company in his stride at Ascot in the Summer Mile but his next step is also undecided.
Never So Brave wins the Group Two Summer Mile Stakes at @Ascot!
The son of No Nay Never takes the rise in Class in his step, mowing down the tearaway Point Lynas in the closing stages to score for @AndrewBalding2 and @davidprobert9!
Where would you go next if you owned him? pic.twitter.com/LP8w32pjeS
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 12, 2025
'Never So Brave has taken that next step already but when Jamie (Spencer on Point Lynas) looked like he'd slipped the field, it was an awful feeling,' said Raymond.
'I thought David (Probert) was absolutely brilliant on him not to panic though. It's about 100 years since I was riding and I remember that feeling but when I spoke to him, he said turning in he felt he had everything covered so he was confident.
'He's another who's versatile trip-wise and who is to say he wouldn't get further in time, although there's no need to try it yet. I think he'll get a mile and a quarter but thee's no need to rush it.
'I don't know what we're going to do. He's not in the Sussex but he is in the Lennox back over seven, so we'll see.
'It was a good weekend, they've both come out of it well and now we need to start thinking about where they are going to go. The owner is a very patient man, he's been well educated by Sir Michael.'
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