Chimes Of Thunder

Where Chimes Of Thunder really shows his hand is when stepped up to the longer distances. At races between 1 mile 1 furlong and 1 mile 2 furlongs, he has won 1 of 4 races—a quarter of the time—which is substantially better than his overall record. This is the kind of detail that matters: it suggests the horse has genuine distance preference and that the yard have found the right trip. The recent Goodwood win would have been at one of those favoured distances, which reinforces the point. He is trained by William Haggas, one of Britain's top yards based at Newmarket, and that operation sent out 170 winners this season alone, so the horse is in competent hands.

What makes Chimes Of Thunder worth watching is momentum. He is active right now, last racing just a day ago, and the shape of his recent races—particularly that breakthrough win followed by two thirds—suggests a horse that is beginning to run consistently at the level he belongs. He is not yet proven as a top-class prospect, but for a 3-year-old who has just tasted success, the signs are there.