Second behind his stablemate, the subsequent The Showdown winner Khoekhoe, at Echuca, the Matt Cumani-trained Coup De Tonnerre did the right thing by punters when breaking his maiden over 1400 metres at Bendigo on Sunday to credit his sire Night of Thunder (IRL) with his sixth Australian winner.
Sent straight to the front by Fred Kersley, Coup De Tonnerre was untroubled to win by two and three-quarter lengths over the Hinchinbrook colt Tour Of Duty with the Skilled filly Luna Chara one and a half lengths back in third.
Coup De Tonnerre made his career debut in the Maribyrnong Plate on Victoria Oaks day at Flemington back in November where he was never a factor.
Off the scene for four months he was caught three wide without cover when a close-up fourth over 1100m at Ballarat.
He was bettered fancied than his talented stablemate Khoekhoe at Echuca but had no answer to the finish of the promising son of Turffontein.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to see him win because we have always thought a bit of this horse, he’s had a bit of bad luck and things have not gone his way but we always hoped when we got up a bit in distance and with a bit of time he would put things together.
“The problem with him is that he has quite a big stride and when he gets behind them he can look a bit flat-footed when asked to accelerate.
“I’m still hopeful that over a bit more distance as a three-year-old he can improve again.”
There is plenty to suggest on his dam’s side that Coup De Tonnerre will improve over longer.
A homebred for the Secatore and O’Sullivan family’s, Coup De Tonnerre dam Sea Terrace is a is a half-sister to the stakes-winner Charlevoix (New Approach) and the stakes-placed Creedence (Helmet) who both won over a mile and half, and is a daughter of the Epsom Derby winner Authorized (IRE).
Blue Gum Farm will offer a Manhattan Rain colt out of Sea Terrace (Lot 156) at the Inglis Melbourne Gold Yearling Sale on July 12.
Coup De Tonnerre becomes the sixth first crop winner from just 11 starters by the one season Darley shuttler Night Of Thunder (IRE).
The Group 1 Newmarket Two Thousand Guineas winning son of Dubawi joins Pride Of Dubai on six winner and is two behind Spill The Beans both of whom have has three times the number of runners.
Night Of Thunder is the only first season stallion to date with two stakes-winners and trails only Pride Of Dubai on earnings.
