While it may be just shy of 12 months since her last victory, connections would surely be over-joyed to see the Michael Trotter trained 8yo Night Of Thunder (IRE) mare Rumbled Again win the $200,000 Group 3 MRC Summoned Stakes (1600m) for the second straight year.
In the field of just nine mares, jockey Craig Williams, who had ridden the mare to success in the race last year, came across the back of the field to settle with just a few behind him after jumping from the outside barrier.
With a host of mares all trying to secure the top billing in running, the Anthony and Sam Freedman trained Brave Miss forced her way to the lead with Symon Wilde’s Precious Charm settling on her outside.
Settling at the back of the field, the Chirs Waller trained, Group 1 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas winner Molly Bloom (NZ) was not settling at all, with jockey Ben Melham making the decision to allow the 5yo mare to stride around the outside of the field where she took the lead with 500m to run.
Her run was short-lived as Precious Gem and Barbie’sdreamworld surged forward and at the 200m mark the pair still held the lead, while Williams was securing a gap between runners aboard Rumbled Again to put his mount into a challenging position.
As Roll On A High started to make her run down the outside, Luke Nolen aboard the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman trained Blindedbythelight was forced to drop back along the rail after the leader came back quickly and took her running.
With Rumbled Again hitting the lead, Blindedbythelight was charging at a rate of knots down the outside of the field to go down narrowly, in a performance that probably should’ve seen her win with an ounce of luck.
Trainer Michael Trotter felt most of her runs this time in have been great, with the mare flying under the radar.
"As usual, she flies under the radar and no one gives her any credit,” said Trotter.
"Her runs in all her races this time in have been super except the last run here with the hard track. She just hasn't had any luck.
"Firming tracks and not being able to get the right position in runs, I absolutely felt she'd win a nice race this time in.
"I felt that two weeks ago at The Valley but we were never in the race, unfortunately. She had really good sectionals late and she ran well at Flemington on Thursday (Oaks Day).
"She was two lengths closer than she was last year so it was just a matter of getting everything right. We got there and Craig got her out, fortunately, and we got the result.
"I said to Craig, you just do you."
Craig Williams highlighted pre-race that he flet going back from the tricky draw was best.
"We made a decision early with a tricky barrier draw. Michael was good and he asked me what I wanted to do with the tricky barrier,” said Williams.
"I thought the barrier might have made her vulnerable or she'd win easily. I wasn't sure.
"Michael was so confident where she was (at). Physically she is quite a narrow horse but she is carrying condition.
"Her attitude, even though she was a bit cheeky in the gates, she's been going things a lot better. You can see that twelve months later she has come on.
"What a difference to last year. We had a heavy track then and compare that to today."
Taking her record to eight wins and 11 placed efforts from 47 starts with $692,600 in earnings, Rumbled Again defeated Blindedbythelucky by a narrow half-head margin with Barbie’sdreamworld battling on for third after hitting the lead at one stage.
Rumbled Again is one of seven winners, and first black type level from seven to the races out of Adulate, an unplaced half-sister by Flying Spur to Group 2 winner Spargo and to the dam of Group 3 winner Celestial Show and Listed winner Fashion Victim.
Retired from stud duty officially in 2019, Rumbled Again was the final foal from her dam Adulate.
One of 96 mares covered by Darley’s Group 1-winning Dubawi stallion Night Of Thunder in his sole season in Australia, Rumbled Again is one of 80 stakes winners for her sire who will command a fee of €200,000 in 2026 when standing at Darley’s Kildangan Stud in Ireland.
