By Tom Frary
John and Thady Gosden like to unveil one of their nicer Classic prospects at Kempton and Wednesday evening saw the pricey newcomer Asmeralda (Night Of Thunder) follow the trend. Always travelling easily for Oisin Murphy in division one of the seven-furlong fillies' novice on the card, Imad Al Sagar's €640,000 Goffs Orby Book 1 graduate moved to the front approaching two out with only the 5-6 market-leader Pierchic (Palace Pier) to beat.
Always comfortably holding that half-sister to the Oaks runner-up Dance Sequence (Dubawi), the 11-10 second favourite held a cosy half-length advantage at the line.
The winner is a half-sister to California Chrome's GII Jessamine Stakes winner California Angel, with the Stakes-placed dam related to the Gasparilla Stakes scorer and GIII La Troienne Stakes and GIII Debutante Stakes-placed Cool Spell (Grand Slam). She also has colt foal by Lope De Vega.
€640,000 filly strikes on debut ✅
Asmeralda (Night Of Thunder) makes a successful start for John & Thady Gosden under @oismurphy in the @kemptonparkrace opener 💫 pic.twitter.com/IMUXZ1SB42
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 10, 2025
1st-Kempton, £8,000, Novice, 12-10, 2yo, f, 7f (AWT), 1:25.88, st/sl.
ASMERALDA (IRE) (f, 2, Night Of Thunder {Ire}–Sea Mona {SP-US}, by Tiz Wonderful) Sales history: €640,000 Ylg '24 GOFORY. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $5,745. O-Imad Al Sagar; B-Irish National Stud; T-John & Thady Gosden.
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