Akkadian Thunder

The numbers at Class 2 level tell the most interesting story. Thirteen races at that tier, zero wins. That sounds damning, but the places suggest he belongs there — he is not being embarrassed, he is finishing close. O'Meara himself describes him as "a good horse" with "plenty of ability and a lot of speed," and straight tracks as a particular strength. When a trainer of O'Meara's calibre — a yard that has sent out 101 winners already this season — keeps coming back to a horse, there is usually a reason.

The ground question is worth dwelling on. O'Meara admitted he assumed Akkadian Thunder only thrived on fast, dry conditions, but then came a second-place finish at Ascot on wet, soft ground that rewrote the script. Jockey Billy Lee, riding that day, was effusive afterwards — he genuinely thought he might catch the winner when daylight appeared, and felt the horse had run a blinder. That kind of run, on ground that should have found him out, is precisely what keeps a team believing. His best win rate comes on normal ground — 2 wins from 5 races, which is 40% — but the Ascot run suggests he is more versatile than anyone expected.

His last win came at Doncaster in June 2025, now 14 months ago, and most recently he has been partnered by Daniel Tudhope for six races without a win together. The recent form reads 5-6-5-3-6-2 — no wins, but a third and a second tucked in there. He raced just one day ago, meaning this is a horse very much in the middle of a campaign, not one winding down. With a trainer who backs him publicly, a proven ability to travel on varying ground, and a preference for straight, flat courses where raw speed counts for everything, Akkadian Thunder looks like a horse waiting for the right day rather than one that has had its day.