Kieren Fallon wins 2,000 Guineas on shock victor Night Of Thunder

Kieren Fallon steers the erratic Night Of Thunder to success in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket with Australia, right, in third. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA

Kieren Fallon won a dramatic 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on 40-1 outsider Night Of Thunder despite the winner swerving across the track in the closing stages.

It was a fifth colts' Classic success for the jockey and his first in the race for eight years. His mount, who was winning for Richard Hannon in the first year since the trainer took over at his Wiltshire stable from his father, reversed Greenham Stakes form with the favourite Kingman.

Kingman had looked likely to collect the prize when taking up the running in the closing stages but was caught close home by the winner, who he had well behind him in second at Newbury last time. But there was a huge scare for supporters of the eventual winner who veered across the track and nearly into the path of third-placed Australia.

Fallon said: "I thought he'd given it away, but he's a good horse and hopefully he can continue."

An emotional Hannon said: "I didn't have time to enjoy it - I was watching [my other two horses in the race]. But we've always though a lot of Night Of Thunder and he's done it well. We were a bit disappointed with him in the Greenham but today he showed how good he was.

"He gets a mile, no problem, and he settled better today. He pulled a little bit in the Greenham and he's turned the form around with Kingman."

Night Of Thunder now has the option of travelling to The Curragh to contest the Irish 2,000 Guineas on May 24, for which he would need to be supplemented.

Hannon said: "We'll have to talk to Bruce Raymond [racing manager for owner Saeed Manana] but I'd imagine it will be either the Irish Guineas or the St James's Palace at Royal Ascot. Shifting Power ran great to finish fourth and could be a French Derby horse."

The race was an unsatisfactory one as the field split into two groups soon after the start, with the Hannon-trained Toormore moving to the stands' rail under Richard Hughes and Spanish raider Noozhoh Canarias leading the far-side runners, which included the eventual first and second.

Kingman came with a strong run on the outside of the far group and looked like he would justify the high opinion of him, while on the near side Toormore was headed a furlong out, with Australia going on from Hannon's other runner, Shifting Power.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Australia, was very pleased with the run of the third home who could hardly have run a better race with the Derby in mind. He said: "[Australia] ran a great race and you have to be delighted with him. We'll talk to [the owners] and they will decide but the Derby trip was never going to be a problem."