Thunder Kiss continues her upward curve

Thunder Kiss defied a penalty to run out a game winner of the featured Noblesse Stakes at Cork. The Ger Lyons trained mare loomed large on the outside of the field approaching the final furlong and once Colin Keane pressed the button the response was instant.

Unraced at two, the daughter of Night Of Thunder has been a slow burner, winning her maiden at Killarney and a Dundalk handicap off a mark of 84 just over a year ago.

Since then, her progress has been staggering, placing in group company and establishing herself as one of the best racemares just below the highest level.

The patience of connections is now being rewarded and it would be no surprise to see the grey improve further in the coming months, perhaps even developing in a Group 1 mare.

Shane Lyons said "she is a class filly, is a year older and has really matured, The boss has just told me we will aim her high, at Group 2s and 1s, and she has all the proper entries. She excels on a cut in the ground, albeit she has won at Dundalk.

"Colin was very happy with her, they didn't take her far enough in the race and she took it up two (furlongs) out but she can look around. In a higher class race, they'll go quicker and take her to the line.

"We are really going to have fun with her, we're not asking to win the big races but if she is placed in them we'll take that now. She is in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and could go there next.

"She had been training really well and it was a good performance to give weight to everything."