By: Mark Nowell

Te Rapa trained galloper Thunder Down Under scored his second successive victory, when taking out the $30,000 Fell Engineering (Ohcp) 1600 at Ruakaka on Saturday.

The colt has had a busy three-year-old campaign, having his 17th start this season on the weekend and trainer Stephen Ralph has no intentions of letting up with the son of Street Sense.

Ralph has set his sights on the Spring Triple Crown at Hastings, with the first leg - the Group One Makfi Challenge Stakes (1400m) on August 27th.

"It might not be a track that suits him, but I know he's a weight-for-age horse," Ralph said.

On Saturday, Thunder Down Under started a hot favourite in a field of seven. Jumping from barrier 5, rider Trudy Thornton allowed him to settle at the rear of the field as Staccato set the pace. Soon after turning for home, Thunder Down Under under a strong ride from Thornton moved to the centre of the track and found the lead with 100m to the post to score by a head to Biologist, with only another head back to Candle In The Wind in third place.

Ralph has always had a high opinion on Thunder Down Under, the colt winning the (Listed) BMW 3YO Salver (2100m) mid-December. Since then, he has lined up in the Zabeel Classic, Karaka Mile, Waikato Guineas, Avondale Guineas, New Zealand Derby and also the Three-Year-Old Championship.

Thunder Down Under has now had 17 starts, for three wins and two minor placings earning $91,360 in stakes for Ralph who shares in the ownership with Mrs C & S Hope & Ms M U Sutton.

Ralph purchased Thunder Down Under for $12,000 at the 2014 Karaka Select Sale from Curraghmore Stud.

Bred by John Camilleri's Fairway Thoroughbreds, Thunder Down Under is out of River Dreaming (Galileo). The son of Street Sense's third dam is five-time Group 1 winner All Along (Targowice).