It is the season when the international studs publish their covering fees — for a string of the world’s best stallions. Kildangan Stud in Ireland, owned by Sheikh Mohammed, has just published its prices for 2027, and there the champion sire in Europe, Night Of Thunder, rises to more than double, from €200,000 to €450,000.
The son of Dubawi thus becomes the most expensive stallion in European history to stand at a publicly advertised fee. He passes Frankel (Galileo) and Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) himself, who both stand unchanged at £350,000 in 2027.
Stars and depth behind the title
Winning a championship at European level takes both stars and depth, and Night Of Thunder has certainly shown both. In Bow Echo and Ombudsman he has had two of the biggest stars on the European racing scene in 2026.
Both sons also enter the stallion ranks in 2027. Bow Echo at £65,000 at Darley’s Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket, and Ombudsman at €45,000 alongside his sire at Kildangan. Ombudsman runs for the last time in his career on 29 November in the Japan Cup.
At the same time Night Of Thunder has shown solid depth with a high strike rate, so this is a deserving champion who can win for several years yet. The title is his second in a row, and in 2026 he sired six Group 1 winners and reached the milestone of 100 individual stakes winners.
The sire of Great Wish
Night Of Thunder is also the sire of the current international star of Danish racing, Great Wish, who won both a Group 3 at Deauville and a Listed race at Meydan in 2026.
