Thunder Snow, who became the first G1 winner for his sire Helmet last October when landing the Criterium International last October, returned to France in victorious fashion on 9 July when running out the easy winner of the G1 Prix Jean Prat.
Sent straight to the front by jockey Christophe Soumillon, Thunder Snow dictated the pace throughout the one-mile contest and once asked to quicken two furlongs from home, was never troubled and eased clear to win by just over a length from the improving Trais Fluors.
Thunder Snow, who is trained for Godolphin by Saeed bin Suroor, won on his racecourse debut at Leicester last May and was placed at G2 level twice before winning the G1 Criterium International by no fewer than five lengths. He returned this year with a wide-margin victory in the UAE 2,000 Guineas, following up in the UAE Derby. He was last seen finishing just a length and a quarter behind Barney Roy in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
Thunder Snow is out of the winning Dubai Destination mare Eastern Joy, also dam of Shamardal’s G2 winner and 1,000 Guineas third Ihtimal, plus fellow Stakes winners Always Smile (Cape Cross) and First Victory (Teofilo).
Helmet is enjoying a banner year, also siring G3 Blue Diamond Preview winner Limestone and Italian 2,000 Guineas winner Ando Muchacho, plus a further ten horses who have won or placed at Black type level. He is standing this season at Northwood Park at a fee of $16,500 inc. GST.
