Thunder Snow top British-trained in European Classification

Thunder Snow, trained by Saeed bin Suroor for Godolphin, was the top-rated British-trained two-year-old of 2016.

Official European handicappers announced on January 24 that Thunder Snow had been allocated a rating of 118 after their end of the year deliberations, but admitted it could have been higher.

The son of Helmet, bred by Darley, progressed throughout last season after winning a six-furlong Leicester maiden in good style on debut at the end of May.

After racing on the unfavoured side of the course on soft ground when sixth of 18 in the G2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, he stepped up to seven furlongs for the G2 Qatar Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on July 26 and ran well to finish second.

Thunder Snow went to Doncaster the following month for the G2 At The Races Champagne Stakes and was beaten only a head by Rivet, the pair clear.

He moved up to G1 level in the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on October 8 and ran soundly when the staying-on fourth to Churchill, with another Godolphin runner, Blue Point (Charlie Appleby), a neck ahead in third.

Thunder Snow ended 2016 with a tremendous performance in the nine-strong G1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud, France, on October 30, winning by five lengths eased down on soft going.

Graeme Smith, British Horseracing Authority handicapper responsible for two-year-olds, commented: “The big day for Thunder Snow was at Saint-Cloud on his final appearance of 2016. 

“He won the race by five lengths, beating the G3 Solario winner South Seas who was rated 110, and that strictly suggested a performance of 120 or more.

“We have rated him 118 because of two doubts – he had been defeated four times previously and Christophe Soumillon perhaps gained the best ground on Thunder Snow at Saint-Cloud.”

Two overseas-trained horses, Churchill (Ireland) on 122 and Lady Aurelia (USA) on 121, were rated ahead of Thunder Snow in the European Two-Year-Old Classification of 2016 and another National Defense (France) gained the same 118 rating.

Five other Godolphin horses figured among the 47 horses in the Classification, which is for horses rated 110 and above. They are Blue Point on 116, Wuheida (Charlie Appleby) 114, Best Solution (Saeed bin Suroor) 113, Boynton (Charlie Appleby) 113 and Best Of Days (Hugo Palmer) 110.