Thunder Gulch Gets Third Australian Group I Winner

Thunder Gulch collected his third individual Australian group I winner with Shot of Thunder's narrow victory in Caulfield Day support, the Toorak Handicap (1,600 meters, Aust-I) on Oct. 12.

The Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner's first southern group I winning male was an appropriate one as the Glen Boss-partnered Shot of Thunder had been several times thwarted by off tracks, including when third behind Show a Heart in last year's Toorak at four.

For Boss it was the first group I success since a career-threatening fall in Macau in June. The jockey fractured several bones in his neck. For Sydney handler John O'Shea, who took over the 5-year-old earlier this year, it was his first group I win.

There is some irony in that Show a Heart is on the roster of Glenlogan Park, which also bought into this Toorak winner as a potential stallion. His dam is Australian Oaks (Aust-I) winner My Brilliant Star, a mare by Nijinsky horse Copper Kingdom.

Shot of Thunder won the 122nd edition of the mile by a nose from Scenic Peak, later relegated for interference to Pernod. Umrum, the Umatilla son to win the 1999 and 2000 Toorak, third by a neck, gained second.

Thunder Gulch's earlier group I winners are Tempest Morn and Tully Thunder, successful in the past two Australasian Oaks. That race is rather grandly named for the shorter of two Oaks run in South Australia.

Shot of Thunder is from the first crop of the now 10-year-old Thunder Gulch, whom Coolmore has worked dual seasons every year since 1996.