Thunder Snow leads Dubai World Cup Carnival treble for bin Suroor at Meydan

The success came in the meeting’s feature race, the US$250,000 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2, which came either side of victories for Godolphin in the opening and closing races of the evening.

After success in both the UAE 2000 Guineas and UAE Derby last year and a second place in the 1600 metre Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 on his seasonal return last month, the Christophe Soumillon-ridden Thunder Snow always looked likely to come out on top on this occasion in the contest run over 1900 metres on the dirt.

He was settled in third behind North America, who denied doubtful stayer Heavy Metal the front with aggressive urging up the inside early from jockey Richard Mullen. North America and Heavy Metal both came under pressure at the top of the straight, whereas Soumillon always looked happy on the eventual winner. His mount gathered up the other pair in the final 200 metres to the delight of his jockey to win by a neck.

Speaking afterwards, Soumillon said “Basically, I think he was the best horse in the race and I rode him accordingly”.

“His stamina was never an issue, whereas the other pair are quick horses who had more early speed. My horse actually wanted to go after them earlier in the back straight, but I was happy to take my time and wait until the home straight.

“He then won well in the style of a good horse. I actually said to Saeed he gives me a better, more natural feel, on turf whereas, on dirt, I think his class gets him home.”

The meeting’s action at Meydan started with something you do not seen often with the running of a Classic first on the bill with the US$250,000 UAE 1000 Guineas, which went the way of Thunder Snow’s appropriately named half-sister Winter Lightning.

Run over 1600 metres on the dirt and restricted to three-year-old fillies, the race was almost identical to the 1400 metre trial three weeks ago in that only Rayya and Winter Lightning were in serious contention from a long way out.

Rayya and Pat Dobbs tried to make all yet again, as no other pacemaker was willing to go, which left them to be stalked by Pat Cosgrave and budding arch rival Winter Lightning. This time, however, as opposed to the Trial when they edged ahead and were forced to fight all the way to the line by Rayya, they forged clear with 200 metres to go and managed to hold Rayya at bay by two lengths, with Godolphin’s Expressiy taking third, again similar to the Trial.

The victory was a tenth win in the race since its 2001 inauguration for bin Suroor.

The trainer then had to wait until the final race of the evening, the REACH by Gulf News Handicap, to wrap up the evening’s treble as Leshlaa was a dominant winner of the 2000 metre turf event under Cosgrave.

The chestnut son of Street Cry eased home by four and a quarter lengths to complete a 1-2-3 for Team Godolphin, as the Appleby-trained Blair House closed resolutely under William Buick to edge yard mate Banksea.

Doug Watson is never far off the winner’s enclosure at Meydan and he saddled first and second in the WHEELS Handicap. Run over over 1900 metres, Street of Dreams, ridden by Adrie de Vries, came in just over two lengths clear of stablemate Galvanize and Bois de Boulogne.

De Vries completed a double in the second three-year-old only race on the card, the US$100,000 Meydan Classic Trial, when Wasim came good in his fourth UAE outing and return to grass

Riding for his main employer, Ismail Mohammed, in the 1400 metre turf conditions race, he was always going to come off better than any of his 15 rivals and having tracked the early pace, De Vries and Wasim move to the front halfway up the straight and, despite seeming to tire, were always holding the challenge from Godolphin’s favoured Zaman, winning by half a length.

The Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint looked a particularly strong renewal being littered with Group 1 winners, but none of those factored in the procession of impressive gate-to-wire victor My Catch, trained by Watson.

Run over 1200 metres on the dirt, Pat Dobbs was in the saddle for an easy success by four lengths, while race favourite Comicas closed to pip fan favourite and ageless wonder Reynaldothewizard on the line for second.

The Watch Time Handicap, over 1000 metres on the turf, was won emphatically by Hit the Bid.

Having been sent quickly away under Oisin Murphy, the pair were never threatened and came in just under two lengths clear for trainer Darren Bunyan. Dutch Masterpiece was second with Waady in third.

The next racing at Meydan is next Thursday, 15 February, with the sixth meeting of the 2018 Dubai World Cup Carnival.