GOOD THUNDER – A BRIGHT PROSPECT FOR SIRE CODY

Ian Fortune

John Kennedy Jnr’s Good Thunder is a greyhound with a very bright future.

The improving puppy produced a huge run at Shelbourne Park on Thursday night to win the feature, the final of the Restaurant Packages S1/S2 350 and it’s clear he will go onto bigger things in the near future.

An impressive winner of his semi-final in 18.70, he was understandably sent off a hot favourite at 4-6 to land the €1,500 prize and duly obliged despite not flashing from traps. He flew into the turn to strike the front before powering clear on the run in to win by five lengths from Heathlawn Best in a very quick 18.55.

The manner in which he powered clear on the run in suggests he is ready to step up on his previous four bend form, which already reads well, but he could also thrive over the 400yd trip at Dundalk. 

For the Kennedy family, who are lucky enough to own Good Thunder, there is even more reason to be happy as he is a home bred by their own sire Good Cody. The Laurels and Irish Sprint Cup champion has made a wonderful start to his stud career.

This litter alone has also produced Oreo Ollie, who was favourite to land the Lee Strand last Friday night at Tralee and Lennies Tank, who dipped under the track record for the 330yd trip at Tralee in qualifying and displayed huge promise in his latest win at Dundalk.

The signs are there that Good Cody could develop into a really top-class sire with his pups showing a bit of everything. Only last weekend, Keelans Joker won a 750 at Shelbourne Park in 41.58, while a few days later Good Thunder is winning sprints, showing electric early speed. 

It seems likely we will be hearing plenty of both Good Cody and his son Good Thunder in the future.