David and Patricia Thompson have secured their second July Cup winner in as many years with the news that Lethal Force is to stand at the couple’s Cheveley Park Stud in Newmarket from 2014.

The son of Dark Angel burst onto the scene this season when winning the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot after being beaten just a head by Society Rock on his seasonal debut in the Duke Of York Stakes. Lethal Force then made himself one of the most desirable stallion prospects in training in Britain when adding a second Group 1 win to his name with his record-breaking victory in the Darley July Cup.

Now four, the grey colt is owned by Alan Craddock for whom he has won four races, including last year’s Group 2 Hungerford Stakes, and almost £750,000 in prize-money. He is trained by Clive Cox, who last season was represented by the outstanding juvenile Reckless Abandon. Injury has hampered that colt’s progress through the sprint ranks this term but he has already been bought by Darley with his future stud career in mind.

Lethal Force follows the lead of last season’s July Cup winner Mayson in joining the roster at Cheveley Park, where he will also stand alongside the stud’s homegrown elite stallion Pivotal, his son Kyllachy, plus Medicean and his son, the leading young sire Dutch Art. A fee is yet to be announced.