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First Group 1 winner and 21st stakes winner overall for former Darley shuttler Night Of Thunder.
Former Darley shuttler Night Of Thunder (Dubawi) sired his first Group 1 winner and 21st stakes winner overall on Saturday when the Chris Waller-trained Kukeracha (3 g ex Portrait Of A Lady by A P Indy) prevailed to win the Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m).
Two of the country's best jockeys have fought out a thrilling finish to the Group 1, with James Mcdonald on Kukeracha knocking off Hugh Bowman on Senor Toba (Toronado), by a nose in a head-bobbing finish, to capture his first win in the classic. Favourite, Explosive Jack (Jakkalberry) was another length back in third.
The result gave Chris Waller the quinella in the 2400 metre feature.
"Chris makes the decisions and I was lucky enough to be on the right horse today," McDonald said.
"They say jockeys are the worst decision makers so I'm glad I don't have that choice.
"He's just a good horse. He deserved it.
"I probably should have waited a little longer at the top of the straight because I got into a little bit of trouble, but he was the right horse to get me out of it. He's got a great turn of foot."
Waller praised the efforts of both McDonald and Bowman, who both gave their mounts beautiful rides and said the latter was unlucky after having to overcome the widest draw in barrier 18.
"It was a tough barrier draw for the stable. James had the best draw (two) so we won't give him as much credit but for Hugh to be able to slot in and get in where he did was a special ride," Waller said.
Kukeracha showed promise as a juvenile but after his form began to taper off the decision was made to geld him.
The three-year-old had placed at his two lead up runs in Queensland and Waller felt his familiarity with the Eagle Farm track contributed to his success.
"We had a great opinion of him as a two-year-old and he lost his way a little bit. It's a typical story, he was gelded and just taken through the system," Waller said.
"He ran a good race up here in the Grand Prix in the summer. I just wanted to give him some experience on the track, it wasn't racing that well then, but I think maybe that's been a good move because his run in the Queensland Guineas was good, last start his run in the Rough Habit was good and today was brilliant."
It was Waller's second Queensland Derby after winning in 2013 with Hawkspur (Purrealist).
Kukeracha was bought by Mulcaster Bloodstock for NZ$130,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2019 Karaka Book 1 Sale from the draft of Waikato Stud and he has now won three of his 13 starts and placed in another five. He is one of five winners out of his winning dam, Portrait Of A Lady, who was bought by Waikato Stud's vet Chris Phillips for $40,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
His second dam is Laiyl (Nureyev), dam of Group 3 winner and sire Layman (Sunday Silence) while further back this is the family of former Haunui Farm shuttler Iffraaj (Zafonic).
Night Of Thunder shuttled to Australia for just one season in 2016 when he covered a book of 96 mares at a fee of $16,500 (inc GST). He has sired 27 winners from 37 runners in Australia and five stakes winners, firing at a rate of 13.5 per cent stakes winners to runners.