PORT MACQUARIE WINNER A WET TRACK “WONDER” FOR BUCHANAN

KRISTEN Buchanan was happy to be proven wrong at Port Macquarie yesterday.

The Wyong trainer chalked up career win number 338 when Thunder Lights (pictured above at Randwick) broke through impressively at his eighth start.

Given a flawless ride by Newcastle apprentice Shannen Llewellyn, Thunder Lights ($2.45 favorite) revelled in the wet ground to trounce his rivals in the Maiden Plate (1509m), scoring by a widening four and a half lengths.

Buchanan purchased the All Too Hard three-year-old for $70,000 as an Inglis Classic yearling in 2024 with the initial aim of preparing him to breeze up for the annual Ready2Race sale later in the year as an early unraced two-year-old.

But he wasn’t ready, so she held off and didn’t race him as a two-year-old.

“Thunder Lights just wasn’t there mentally and physically,” Buchanan said today.

“But I liked him, so I gave him plenty of time.

"I didn’t think he would handle a wet track because of his daisy cutting action, but he loved it.

“Shannen gave him a lovely ride, and he was a dominant winner.

“I also didn’t think he would still be in work as this is his first racing preparation, but he has kept pulling up well after his races and doing well.

“I’ll see how he does in the next few days before deciding whether to run him again, or perhaps give him a little break.”

Buchanan’s victory with Thunder Lights completed a whirlwind few days after a luckless trip to Brisbane with Tambeloa for last Saturday’s Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben.

The three-year-old drew poorly, never got on the track and finished second last.

“It was disappointing, and I’m not sure if we will go on to the Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday week,” Buchanan said.

“I’ve brought him home so that I can assess him, and decide whether or not to go back to Brisbane.

“It’s in his favour that he is such a good traveller.”

Before scoring with Thunder Lights at Port Macquarie, Buchanan trialled her great old campaigner Stylebender at Gosford in the morning.

The rising nine-year-old, with whom Buchanan won three middle-distance races in town earlier in the year (the latest when ridden by Shannen Llewellyn at Warwick Farm on April 1), contested a 1000m Open trial.

“He had a break in the paddock after his last run when fourth at Warwick Farm on April 15, and put on 25 kilos,” Buchanan said.

“I’ve got the Grafton Cup (2350m) on July 16 in mind for Stylebender.

“I just have to work out the right program to get him there.”

Shannen Llewellyn followed up her maiden Saturday metropolitan winner at Scone last Saturday with a Port Macquarie double yesterday.

She also won on Magnolia Jewel ($6) in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1106m) for Buchanan’s fellow Wyong trainer Tracey Bartley to continue a breakout season.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MAY 19, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS