Street Sense colt Thunder Down Under has staked his claim for a possible tilt at New Zealand's premier three-year-old classic race next year after a fast-finishing victory in the Listed Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie on December 13.
The strong win was also three-year-old Thunder Down Under’s first win at start seven for trainer Stephen Ralph, but a good ride from jockey Leith Innes allowed the colt to finish powerfully and justify a nomination for the G1 New Zealand Derby next March.
Bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds, Thunder Down Under is out of Galileo mare River Dreaming, the dam of four foals to race who have all been successful on the racetrack. River Dreaming is from the family of USA Horse of the Year All Along.
Thunder Down Under is one of 19 Stakes winners this year for Street Sense and came on the same weekend Street Fancy claimed the G1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course. Other G1 winners in 2015 for Street Sense include Wedding Toast, Hallowed Crown and Callback.
Street Sense will stand for a fee of $45,000 (stands and nurses) in 2016.
