Tag Archive for: Thunderbear

Thunderbear heading for Wentworth challenge at Doncaster

Jack Davison’s Thunderbear will be partnered by man of the moment Rossa Ryan when he lines up for the Livescore Bet Wentworth Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday.

The four-year-old has been in good form of late, placing second in the Listed RFS Steels Stakes when beaten only three-quarters of a length last time at Naas.

Prior to that he was runner-up at the Curragh when contesting a five-furlong handicap in which he was defeated by just half a length.

The son of Kodi Bear is now coming towards the end of a busy season in which he has run 12 times so far, with Ryan set to take the ride in the Listed feature on Town Moor this weekend.

Ryan has enjoyed a superb season and seems to have developed the Midas touch this autumn, winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe aboard Bluestocking and the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Starlust.

“I’m very happy to be putting him up and the horse won’t want for anything in the saddle,” said Davison.

“The horse has been great, he put in a great run last time behind My Mate Alfie and he’s been in super form since.

“We’re hoping he can round off the year on a high now, he’s been busy enough but he perhaps comes to hand at this time of year.

“He enjoys a bit of ease in the ground and six furlongs should be well within his compass, so we’re looking forward to it.”

The County Meath handler added: “He’s been a Group Three winner in England and he’s won at Nottingham, he doesn’t mind the travelling at all. We’ve a very good jockey booked, so that’s an obvious help.”



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Thunder hits Newbury as Irish raider strikes

The Irish raider prevailed as Jack Davison’s Thunderbear rolled to a smart success in the Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes at Newbury.

Davison’s three-year-old has been victorious on these shores before, landing a Nottingham handicap in May before stepping up to Group level with a string of respectable runs throughout the summer.

Back in England he was not especially fancied for the Newbury Group Three, starting at 12-1 under Sean Levey in a field of five.

Andrew Balding’s Nymphadora made the running, but Thunderbear was never far behind her and just ahead of the furlong pole he kicked into gear and strode clear to win by a neck.

William Haggas’ Sense Of Duty, winner of four of her previous five outings but running for the first time in well over a year, was a further two lengths away in third.

“Once we saw the rain was coming we were happy to give him the entry and we were glad it stayed soft,” said Davison.

“He ran well at Royal Ascot (eighth in the Jersey) and won at Nottingham, and though he’s had a busy season and travelled a lot he had the ground.

“We decided to drop him back to five and ride him prominently, and Sean gave him a lovely ride.

“I had an odds on winner here (She’s Quality) earlier in the season – there was pressure that day – and she will run in the Cheveley Park at Newmarket on Saturday.”

Levey said: “Give credit where it’s due they came here and they conquered. He was a great ride and he loved the ground.”



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Davison confident She’s Quality can live up to her name

Jack Davison has described She’s Quality as “probably the best horse I have trained” after the filly proved well named in shedding her maiden tag at Newbury.

The daughter of Acclamation bumped into next year’s 1000 Guineas favourite Ylang Ylang when third on debut before going on to finish a two-and-a-half-length fourth in the Group Three Anglesey Stakes on her second start.

She then further advertised her potential when splitting Michael O’Callaghan’s Navassa Island and Round Tower Stakes winner Letsbefrankaboutit in a Curragh maiden, before getting off the mark with a flourish in her raiding mission to Newbury, surging the best part of four lengths clear of the opposition in the hands of James Doyle.

Davison said: “She’s a lovely filly and very exciting and I would go as far to say she is probably the best horse I have trained. It’s super to have her and she should be a better three-year-old as well, so it’s great.

“I think Newbury was the first time she got nice conditions – good, quick ground and six furlongs. We were able to get a bit of cover and she was more professional. She’s very much on an upwards curve.”

She’s Quality provided her County Meath handler with just his second victory on UK soil and is now set to have her sights raised with both the valuable Goffs Million at the Curragh on September 23 or a shot at Group One glory in Newmarket’s Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes a week later being considered for her next outing.

“She’s a better filly on better ground, so it will be a toss up between the Goffs Million and the Cheveley Park,” added Davison.

“I will have to keep a close eye on what the ground is doing and if she is going to get a stiff seven at the Curragh, it will want to be nice ground. It’s 50-50 really.

“It would be quite exciting to have a good chance in the Goffs Million and we will look forward to plenty of black-type opportunities with her next year. But if the ground was to come up soft in Ireland and nice in England, I would have no problem redirecting her to the Cheveley Park, she’s of that calibre.”

It was Thunderbear who gave Davison with his first UK winner when striking at Nottingham earlier in the season and having gone on to ply his trade at Group level in his next three outings, he is poised to make his first start in France early next month.

Although running with credit in some top-quality events over six and seven furlongs, he will now drop back to the minimum distance for ParisLongchamp’s Prix du Petit Couvert on September 10, where his handler is predicting he will thrive.

“Thunderbear is very well and he’s entered in a Group Three at Longchamp,” continued Davison.

“I look forward to dropping him back to sprint distances on soft ground. I think that will really be his game and we haven’t seen the best of him yet. He has plenty of speed.”



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Thunderbear ready to roll at Ascot

Thunderbear is “not going to make up the numbers” when he lines up in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Jack Davison-trained three-year-old notched up just his second victory at Nottingham on his penultimate start, but highlighted his potential for competing with regularity at Group level when knocking on the door in the Lacken Stakes at Naas last month.

The son of Kodi Bear was beaten little over a length when fourth to Aidan O’Brien’s The Antarctic on that occasion and he will now step up to seven furlongs for the first time this season when he represents Davison’s burgeoning operation at the Royal meeting.

“He will go for the Jersey and we can’t wait for it really, he’s a really progressive horse,” said the Irish handler.

“He’s more of a six or seven-furlong horse, but a fast one all the same and it’s great to have a competitor at Ascot once again.

“I don’t think there were any hiding places at Naas last time, it was a very strong renewal and I think the extra furlong here will bring about more improvement.

“It’s a big day for our small but hopefully expanding stable. We’ve been training for five years and this will be the fourth year with a runner at Royal Ascot. We’re not going to make up the numbers, we’re going to try to be competitive, so it is definitely exciting.”



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Davison considering Thunderbear route after Naas effort

Jack Davison will train Thunderbear “like a good horse” having seen him produce a career best in the Lacken Stakes at Naas.

Before finishing just over a length fourth with his sights raised on Sunday, the son of Kodi Bear had been campaigning in handicap company and was sent off an unfancied 50-1 for the Group Three contest despite scoring with real ease when last sighted on a raiding mission to Nottingham.

However, he outran his odds in the manner of a rapidly improving sprinter and his performance was not missed by the Irish handicapper, who has subsequently raised the three-year-old 9lb to a mark of 107.

Davison has previously enjoyed big sprint success with Mooneista, who is now trained by Joseph O’Brien, and is excited to see how far up the ladder Thunderbear can climb having finished so close to the well-regarded The Antarctic at Naas.

“It was a super run and he’s a progressive horse who is rated 107 now,” said the trainer.

“I’m really happy with him and he’s going to be a good horse for me now this year.

“He’s one of the best three-year-olds in the country over that distance now and I think there is more improvement there. He is a nice one to have in the stable this year and I’ll train him like a good horse. We’ll pick his battles a little bit and hopefully that will pay off.

“We’ve got plenty of options over six and seven furlongs, I just have to have a good think about where we go next.

“He has that much pace he could be effective over a stiff five and he’s ground versatile, so we have plenty of options and we’re looking forward to seeing where he ends up.”

Having seen his official rating sky rocket on the back of his Naas performance, handicaps are now off the table and with the Jersey Stakes the only realistic option available at Royal Ascot, Davison is leaning towards targeting the Irish sprinting programme for the time being.

He continued: “His mark has gone now for any of the handicaps, but I always knew he was a Group horse in the making.

“Obviously, being a gelding, he can’t run in the Commonwealth Cup. The Jersey Stakes is a possibility, but I would say it is likely we will stay domestic for the next couple of months.”



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