Thunder Snow aims for more French G1 glory

Thunder Snow returns to France, where he landed the G1 Criterium International at the end of his juvenile year, for the G1 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on Sunday, July 9.

The three-year-old colt, trained by Saeed bin Suroor and again the mount of Christophe Soumillon, put in a good effort when one and a quarter lengths third behind Barney Roy in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 20, on his most recent start.

He started out the year with two impressive wins at Meydan, Dubai, landing the G3 UAE 2,000 Guineas and the G2 UAE Derby and was runner-up in the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh, Ireland, at the end of May. 

Saeed bin Suroor commented, “He's doing well. He ran a big race at Ascot and he's worked really well since; he's in the right race."

"The ground should be okay, but softer would be even better. He won very easily on soft ground at Saint-Cloud and it was too quick for him at Ascot."

Thunder Snow faces four rivals including two G3 winners in Trais Fluors and Gold Luck.