Another trip to France, and another Group 1 for THUNDER SNOW (IRE), as the three-year-old Godolphin homebred added the Prix Jean Prat to his honour roll, having emerged victorious from the Criterium International last October. A second top-level success was well-deserved, having chased Churchill (IRE) home in second in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the end of May, before finishing third to Barney Roy in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Ridden by Christophe Soumillon, who has maintained the partnership since the pair’s Saint-Cloud victory, the pair made all as their four rivals slotted into single-file behind them. Picking up the pace with a furlong and a half to go, he stayed on well as favourite Trais Fluors gave chase, only to narrow the winning margin to a length and a quarter.

Winning trainer Saeed bin Suroor commented afterwards; “I think THUNDER SNOW (IRE) likes being in France; he has run twice and won two Group 1’s. We'll keep the options open with him between the Juddmonte International and the QEII in October. Or he could come back for the Jacques le Marois.”

THUNDER SNOW (IRE) is a half-brother to the ill-fated Always Smile (IRE), a Listed winner and Group 1 performer for the same connections, as well as multiple Group winner and 1,000 Guineas third Ihtimal (IRE). Their dam, Eastern Joy, joins a list of Group 1 winners for Dubai Destination as a damsire, with Postponed and Golden Horn topping the list. Eastern Joy is a half-sister to Prix de Diane heroine West Wind, out of Luca Cumani’s Group 2 Sun Chariot Stakes winner Red Slippers.