Thunderosa enjoying tests of stamina

Dermot McLoughlin saddled three horses in the extended three mile handicap hurdle and it was his 11/1 shot Thunderosa who took the honours.

He was ridden clear two out and stayed on well on the run-in to pass the post three and a half lengths to the good. Whatucallher came in second at 16/1 under French jockey Nicolas Terrassin and was two and three quarter lengths ahead of That's Lifebuoy (3/1).

McLoughlin said: “I knew he would like that ground. He has won on soft and good ground but being by Westerner he likes to slog it out. I think he is saving a bit.

"Paddy said that when he hit the front, he pricked his ears. He is a grand horse and he will mix it but it will depend on the ground.

“He has been in all year but he is enjoying his racing. If conditions stay similar, we will keep him going. Coming here when I heard it was gone soft, I was more positive than ever.

“We don’t have (fifth-placed) Lord Lariat that long and Keith said he just wasn’t mad about the ground.

“The other little filly (seventh-placed Trickey Trix has been in all year we will give her a break now.”

Thunderosa was following up on a victory over three miles in a handicap hurdle at Cork in March.

Additional reporting by Donal Murphy