Dubai: Godolphin’s Night Of Thunder whipped up a storm when beating a record field to win the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes, the first premier division clash of the older generation, at Newbury Racecourse on Saturday.

Ridden with absolute confidence by stable jockey James Doyle, last year’s 2,000 Guineas winner dug deep when seriously challenged by stable companion and former Craven hero Toormore to score by a neck.

Arod, fourth behind Australia in last year’s Derby, ran a cracker to take third place, three-quarters of a length further back, while 2013 Meydan scorer Trade Storm finished a neck behind in fourth.

Doyle, who was riding his first Group 1 winner in the Godolphin colours after joining the team created by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, last November, told Channel 4 Racing: “If I had my time again, I’d probably have done things differently, but I wanted to secure my pitch against that rail and he’s just had a puff on me and got a bit tired.

‘Good show’

“He didn’t stop though, that’s what I liked. He got tired but he still stretched all the way.

“It’s the first time I’ve ridden him in a race and I’ve learnt about him today but it was a very good performance,” he added.

“This is what I want, this is what His Highness Shaikh Mohammad wants. It’s an honour to put on these silks, ride horses like these. Hopefully there will be a lot more to come.”

Trainer Richard Hannon Jr. who was winning the Lockinge for the third time in six years, added: “I’m delighted.

“Toormore has run a super race and this horse [Night Of Thunder] looked to me like he was going to win very well and got tired, as he’s had a long time off the track. I couldn’t be more pleased.

“I think both of them will improve. Night Of Thunder has nothing to prove now. He’s won the Guineas and the Lockinge. He’s obviously a very good horse and will make a very good stallion.

“They will probably both go to Ascot for the Queen Anne.

“As the year goes on the races open up in Europe. There’s the Jacques le Marois, the Moulin. There are lots of lovely races and they don’t have to go for the same ones,” he said.

Another Dubai-owned horse heading to Royal Ascot is Adaay, an impressive winner of the Listed Toronado Carnarvon Stakes, earlier in the day.

Hat-trick quest

Owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, Adaay scored by a length and three quarters from Godolphin’s Jungle Cat.

He is now expected to look for a hat-trick of wins for the season when lining up in the new Commonwealth Cup at the Royal meeting next month.

Trainer William Haggas said: “He is doing very well. He went off a bit last year so we didn’t run him after Newbury in July. He came back well at Ascot, ran a good race, got a bit tired and has come on for that.

“He obviously has some talent and we put him away for a bit with the intention of bringing him back, but it rained and I don’t think he likes the soft ground.

“We were hoping he would go on, but you never know.”

Meanwhile, Ryan Moore was in imperious form, riding five winners from his six rides, at combined odds of 1,962-1.

Listed Al Rayyan Stakes win

Birchwood kicked off the day for Moore before Telescope won the Listed Al Rayyan Stakes.

He won the following two races aboard Adaay and Time Test but Moore suffered defeat in the Lockinge when Integral finished fourth.

However, he was back in the winner’s enclosure after winning the Listed Haras De Bouquetot Fillies’ Trial Stakes on Crystal Zvezda.

“I thought I would have a chance of four winners today,” Moore said. “But it has been a good day. Pity I didn’t win the Lockinge. I can’t remember how many five-timers I’ve had — not enough!”