Million-pound purchase Rogue Lightning will return to action next year for a top-class sprint campaign for new owners Wathnan Racing.

The bay son of Kodiac has worn the silks of The Rogues Gallery all season, chalking up a hat-trick of five-furlong sprints that culminated with Listed success in the Scarbrough Stakes at Doncaster.

The gelding was then stepped sharply up in grade to take on the Group One Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp and was not beaten far when fifth and only a length and a quarter behind the winner Highfield Princess.

He was then auctioned via the Goffs Qipco British Champions Day Sale prior to racing at Ascot on Saturday and fetched an impressive £1million as Richard Brown was the winning bidder on behalf of Wathnan Racing.

Rogue Lightning will stay in the care of trainer Tom Clover and will return to training next season with an eye on a programme of valuable sprint contests.

“It’s absolutely fantastic news, it’s terrific to have a horse like him in the yard,” Clover said.

“He’s been a great horse for the Rogues and for us, as an ambitious yard, to keep him for some fantastic new owners in the yard is very exciting.

“We’ll have to speak to Richard Brown but the plan for now is that we’ll give him a break and bring him back fresh in the spring.

“He’s the type of horse where you’d hope that the programme would work itself out, all the obvious races – King’s Stands, Nunthorpes, who knows?

“He should winter very well, I hope, and should shape into a top-class sprinter.”

Rogue Millennium will return to the scene of her finest hour on Saturday when she makes her final outing for Tom Clover and owners The Rogues Gallery in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

The four-year-old has been a star performer for her trainer and ownership syndicate over the past two seasons having been purchased for the relatively inexpensive fee of 35,000 guineas in the autumn of 2021.

A consistent performer throughout her time in training with Clover, not only did she take connections to the Oaks after securing the handler’s first Listed success in Lingfield’s Oaks Trial, she also notched up a first Group winner for the trainer when prevailing in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot earlier in the year.

That victory paved the way for Rogue Millennium to contest Group One events in her last three outings and with top-level black type secured when second to Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Tahiyra in the Matron Stakes, connections head to British Champions Day for a shot to nothing at the QEII before Rogue Millennium likely heads to the sales ring in December.

“She will most likely head to the Sceptre sale (held during the Tattersalls December Mares Sale) and it will very likely be her last run for ourselves and The Rogues Gallery,” said Clover.

“She was our first Listed winner, our first Group winner and our first Royal Ascot winner and she has a lot of black type now and has run some fantastic races across Europe. She has just taken us on some memorable journeys.

“For the Rogues and all the different members, it has just been a terrific journey and it has been fantastic to give syndicate owners such big days and go and compete in all these big races against the top connections.

“Win, lose or draw, she has been terrific servant for us but it would be lovely if she could shape up well. It would be a shame to bow out after a disappointing run at Longchamp last time.”

That below-par performance in Paris came when racing over 10 furlongs in the Prix de l’Opera on Arc day.

However, she now returns to the course and distance over which she thrived when successful at the Royal meeting, with the Kremlin House handler taking plenty of encouragement from her effort against Tahiyra at Leopardstown in September.

Clover added: “She has worked very well at home, but it can be very hard to tell if fillies are over the top or not at this time of year. In terms of her home work, she seems really well and she looks well.

“We sort of felt she is a course-and-distance winner and she handled very soft ground at Longchamp (earlier in the season) and I think if having an extra 100 yards or a furlong, you could argue she was closing down Tahiyra in the Matron.

“If she could reproduce that run it would put her in with a shout of being near, which would be incredible for her owners.”

The Rogues Gallery Racing Club is set to fly the flag for syndicate owners at ParisLongchamp on Sunday when Rogue Millennium and Rogue Lightning both go for Group One glory.

Middleham Park Racing famously enjoyed a memorable success in the Prix de l’Abbaye with The Platinum Queen 12 months ago and there could be more joy for smaller owners this weekend.

Rogue Lightning is entered for the same five-furlong contest this term, while Rogue Millennium heads for the Prix de l’Opera over 10 furlongs.

Trainer Tom Clover told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s very exciting to be going over for Arc day with two runners in Group One races for Rogues Gallery.

“They are a great syndicate and it’s a huge thrill to be going out there. The Rogues Gallery have been with us for four years or so now and they are a great bunch – it’s just a fantastic syndicate.

“They are a great group of people who are really good friends and have just had a fantastic journey with a couple of cracking horses in Rogue Millennium and Rogue Lightning.

“To be going to Arc day with two horses who cost around £80,000 between them is just fantastic.

“They’ve got people from all over, including the Isle of Man and Ireland, and there’s a huge variety, with even Rishi Persad one of the ‘Rogues’. I think there’s around 90 members going over, so it will be a fair old raid on Paris and we’re looking forward to having a good time.”

Rogue Millennium has already claimed a Group Two prize in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot and was a fine runner-up to Tahiyra in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown last time out.

The Dubawi filly, who has been on the go since April, also has a good third to India in the Prix Allez France over this course and distance to her credit.

“I’m really pleased with her, she just seems to thrive on racing,” commented Clover. “She’s certainly an improving filly and her form over course and distance looks really strong.

“It was an amazing day to go over to Leopardstown and finish second behind Tahiyra, when she travelled so strongly through the race and hit the line really strong.

“She seems in really good form. We’re pretty versatile in terms of the ground, but it will be fantastic to see top-class racing on good ground.”

Rogue Lightning steps up in class for the Abbaye but deservedly so after following up two handicap wins with a Listed-class victory in the Scarbrough Stakes at Doncaster.

“It’s a tough race but he’s up to 110 after winning a Listed race last time and he looks an improving sprinter,” added Clover.

“Danny (Tudhope), who rode him last time out, said he is really fast and he’s just been learning on the job.

“He can seem a little green when getting to the front but then the way he put the race to bed up to the line in that last half a furlong was quite impressive, we felt.

“With the sprinting division being pretty open this year, we thought why not have a go. The sprinters seem to be taking it in turn to win these races this year, so he deserves to take his chance.

“He came out of the race in fantastic form and a strong-run race like the Abbaye should suit him.

“It’s a massive step up to go for a Group One, but on the ratings you can make a case for him and some of his sectionals and fractions this year have been very good. He’s a horse we’ve always held in high regard.”