Lighting Thunder

Finishing second twice in a row is genuinely encouraging rather than just a consolation. It means Lighting Thunder has been in the mix at the finish on every single outing — this is not a horse that runs and disappears — but there is clearly a ceiling it has not yet broken through. Whether that win comes next time out, or takes a little longer, is the question everyone around the horse will be asking.

What gives real reason for optimism is where Lighting Thunder is trained. John and Thady Gosden operate one of the most powerful yards in British racing, based at Newmarket, and their numbers this season speak for themselves — 135 winners sent out already. That is a remarkable volume of success, and it means Lighting Thunder is being prepared by a team that knows exactly how to get a horse ready to win. When a yard of this calibre keeps running a horse, it is usually because they believe the win is coming. With two second places already on the board from just two races, Lighting Thunder has done everything but cross the line first. That could change very soon — the horse raced just one day ago and is clearly fit and active right now.