Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) hasn't always been a straightforward horse for Godolphin and trainer Saeed bin Suroor, but the 4-year-old put it all together when it mattered most on Saturday, going gate to wire to win the $10-million G1 Dubai World Cup in track-record time.
The 5 3/4-length victory capped an especially fruitful night for Godolphin, which won four of the eight Thoroughbred contests. Two apiece were won by bin Suroor and trainer Charlie Appleby. For jockey Christophe Soumillon the World Cup closed a double on the card; he also partnered Vazirabad (Fr) (Mandero {Ger}) to his third-straight win in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup.
Other highlights on the $30-million card included an 18 1/2-length, track record-setting romp by Coolmore's Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy) in the G2 UAE Derby (it was one of four track records set on the night) and a title-defending win by Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen.
But in terms of prestige and prizemoney, Thunder Snow's win owned the night. The bay was largely overlooked after finishing well adrift in second to North America (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 on Mar. 10, but the complexion of the race changed entirely when that expected front-runner blew the start from gate two. In the meantime, the Bob Baffert-trained stablemates West Coast (Flatter) and Mubtaahij (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) both broke well and the former was briefly in front before Thunder Snow came charging across from his outside gate to grab the lead passing the finish line for the first time. Javier Castellano aboard West Coast was content to allow Soumillon to dictate the pace, with Mubtaahij on his heels and Pavel (Creative Cause) traveling without cover on his outside and Talismanic (GB) (Medaglia d'Oro) also in touch. Thunder Snow was allowed to have things his own way down the backstretch while the positions remained largely the same with the exception of the mare Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song), who worked her way up to sit just a few lengths off the pace but very wide. It became apparent as they passed the quarter pole that the golden rail at Meydan could deliver the riches once again, as West Coast came under a ride while Thunder Snow continued to travel sweetly. The eventual winner simply zoomed clear upon straightening, and he hit the line 5 3/4 lengths to the good while West Coast and Mubtaahij maintained their positions to fill the trifecta.
While it was an eighth win in the former world's richest race for bin Suroor, it was a first for Soumillon, who referenced some of the horse's former antics when shying at the infield screen when winning the G2 UAE Derby last year, and when defecting himself from the GI Kentucky Derby next-out when throwing a fit and attempting to buck off his rider just strides out of the starting gate.
“When I came in the straight I could feel nobody was following me,” Soumillon said. “I knew I had to concentrate because when he sees the big screen, he can do something sometimes. It's magic. I work hard every day to make sure someday something crazy like this will happen.”
“Saeed gave me lot of confidence before the race,” he added. “I wasn't ready to ride him that positively and I thought there would be more speed on the inside. He jumped so well that I thought I would have to make it. The first time I rode him I thought that when he leads that no-one can beat him, but it is difficult to make it. However, it wasn't that difficult in the end. Saeed did a great job and the horse made everything–it makes the jockey's life so easy when you ride great horses. I'm in heaven now, I'm not sure exactly what's going on but we're going to have a big party tonight.”
Bin Suroor added, “I am very happy with the horse and jockey. I told Christophe the horse has a good turn of foot and I told him to use it. The jockey is the best of the best. When I saw him he was confident in front and I thought surely the horse was going to win from then. We have the best owner in Sheikh Mohammed. He is the best leader and gives us the best horses.”
Of future targets for Thunder Snow, he added, “It was always on my mind to run him in the Dubai World Cup and he will have a break now, before running in Europe or America.”
Thunder Snow was the winner of the G1 Criterium International at two, but he became best known for all the wrong reasons last year after he threw his Kentucky Derby antics. He was much better behaved next out when second to Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, and he was not far off another top-class runner when third behind Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot. He picked up another Group 1 win in the Prix Jean Prat before season's end, but was a well-beaten, head-scratching last, albeit over heavy going, in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. when last seen on European soil. Second behind Saturday evening's G2 Godolphin Mile winner Heavy Metal (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) first up in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1, he bested the game North America by a neck in Round 2 before that rival turned the tables on Super Saturday three weeks ago.
Jockey Javier Castellano aboard the beaten favourite West Coast said, “I had a nice position outside the winner. He was balanced and in a good rhythm. I had every chance in the world to win the race but the best horse clearly won. He fought very hard to the line to keep second place. Very happy with his run.”
One of the greater disappointments of the race was Talismanic, who beat only the slow-starting North America home, and jockey Mickael Barzalona said the 5-year-old perhaps didn't handle the dirt in his first try on the surface.
Pedigree Notes…
Thunder Snow is the lone Group 1 winner for Darley's dual hemisphere shuttler Helmet. Reflecting on Helmet's brilliant career, it could be that Thunder Snow comes by his quirky personality naturally. Helmet, winner of the G1 Sires' Produce S. and G1 Champagne S. at two, gave his trainer Peter Snowden plenty to think about during his career, but that didn't stop him becoming a triple Group 1 winner himself in the G1 Caulfield Guineas at three.
Looking at his female family, Thunder Snow was made to excel in Dubai. His elder half-sister Ihtimal (Ire) (Shamardal) won the G3 UAE Oaks and the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas here before finishing third in the G1 Qipco 1000 Guineas, and she was also a Group 2 winner in Britain at two. Next from the mare came the stakes-winning fillies Always Smile (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and First Victory (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), while following Thunder Snow is this year's UAE 1000 Guineas winner Winter Lightning (Ire) (Shamardal). Eastern Joy has a yearling colt by Dubawi (Ire).
There is further class down the page with Thunder Snow's second dam being the G2 Sun Chariot S. winner Ruby Slippers (Nureyev), a half-sister to G1 Irish Derby winner Balanchine (Storm Bird) and also the dam of G1 Prix de Diane winner West Wind (GB) (Machiavellian). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI WORLD CUP (SPONSORED BY EMIRATES AIRLINE)-G1, $10,000,000 (£7,135,934/€8,114,232), MEY, 3-31, NH 4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 2000m, 2:01.38 (NTR), ft.
1–THUNDER SNOW (IRE), 126, c, 4, by Helmet (Aus)
1st Dam: Eastern Joy (GB), by Dubai Destination
2nd Dam: Red Slippers, by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Morning Devotion, by Affirmed
O-Godolphin; B-Darley (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Christophe
Soumillon. $6,000,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-UAE at
7-9 1/2f, MG1SW-Fr, G1SP-Eng & Ire, 18-7-5-2, $8,381,476.
*1/2 to Ihtimal (Ire) (Shamardal), MGSW & MG1SP-Eng,
GSW-UAE, $254,857; Always Smile (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), SW
& MG1SP-Eng, $217,288; First Victory (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}),
GSW-Eng; and Winter Lightning (Ire) (Shamardal), SW &
GSP-UAE, $235,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–West Coast, 126, c, 4, Flatter–Caressing, by Honour and
Glory. ($425,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Gary L & Mary E West;
B-CFP Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $2,000,000.
3–Mubtaahij (Ire), 126, h, 6, Dubawi (Ire)–Pennegale (Ire), by
Pennekamp. (€450,000 Ylg '13 ARAAUG). O-Sheikh
Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum; B-Dunmore Stud Ltd
(IRE); T-Bob Baffert. $1,000,000.
Margins: 5 3/4, NK, 1 3/4.
Also Ran: Pavel, Forever Unbridled, Awardee, Furia Cruzada (Chi), Gunnevera, Talismanic (GB), North America (GB).
Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.
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