Thunder Snow will attempt to become the first horse to win the Dubai World Cup for a second time when he faces a formidable challenge for top honours in the one of the world’s richest races at Meydan on Saturday.
The five-year-old Helmet horse provided his trainer Saeed bin Suroor with an eighth success in the 10-furlong dirt showpiece 12 months ago, when he powered clear to beat West Coast by five-and-three-quarter lengths.
Thunder Snow went on to perform admirably in two of North America’s leading G1 races on dirt over a mile-and-a-quarter, going down by a neck in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in September before an excellent performance to finish third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs two months later.
The Godolphin star is seeking a third successive Dubai World Cup night victory following his G2 UAE Derby win on dirt two years ago.
Thunder Snow makes his second appearance of 2019 after coming home second to Capezzano in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge on Super Saturday three weeks ago.
Christophe Soumillon, who has partnered Thunder Snow in 16 races, including for the three G1 wins, takes the ride again in the $12 million feature.
Thunder Snow faces 12 rivals including Capezzano and North America, winner of the 2018 G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round Three, and Breeders’ Cup Classic second Gunnevera, plus US G1 winners Seeking The Soul and Yoshida.
Saeed bin Suroor said: “Thunder Snow came out of his first run of the year well and has improved for the outing.
“It was always the plan to use Round Three of the Maktoum Challenge as a stepping stone for the Dubai World Cup. He needed the race after a busy 2018 campaign and I have been happy with him since.
“His latest piece of work on Saturday went well and he looks to be in good form ahead of the big race.
“Thunder Snow has won at each of the last two Dubai World Cup nights and I am hoping for another big performance in 2019.”
