DUBAI WORLD CUP,

GROUP 1

SAEED bin Suroor won the $10 million, Group 1 Dubai World Cup on Saturday for an incredible eighth time with the Christophe Soumillon-ridden, Irish-bred Thunder Snow. Last year the colt landed the UAE Derby on the big night.

Thunder Snow hardly saw another rival as he strolled to a five and three-quarter length victory in a track record time of two minutes 1.38 seconds. Last year’s winning trainer Bob Baffert, successful for the fourth time in the race with Arrogate, saddled the second and third finishers, with West Coast beating Mubtaahij by a neck.

This was Thunder Snow’s seventh win in 18 starts, and his third Group 1. Victory capped a remarkable evening for Sheikh Mohammed as it was Godolphin’s fourth win on the night, completing doubles for Soumillon and bin Suroor.

“When I came in the straight I could feel nobody was following me,” Soumillon said. “I knew I had to concentrate because when he sees the big screen, he can do something sometimes. It’s magic. I work hard every day to make sure someday something crazy like this will happen.

“Saeed gave me lot of confidence before the race. I wasn’t ready to ride him that positively and I thought there would be more speed on the inside. He jumped so well that I thought I would have to make it. The first time I rode him I thought that when he leads that no-one can beat him, but it is difficult to make it.

“However, it wasn’t that difficult in the end. Saeed did a great job and the horse made everything – it makes the jockey’s life so easy when ride you great horses. I’m in heaven now, I’m not sure exactly what’s going on but we’re going to have a big party tonight.”

Bin Suroor added: “I am very happy with the horse and jockey. I told Christophe the horse has a good turn of foot and I told him to use it. The jockey is the best of the best. When I saw him he was confident in front and I thought surely the horse was going to win from then.

“We have the best owner in Sheikh Mohammed. He is the best leader and gives us the best horses. It is a brilliant win and I will give the trophy to my mother and brothers and family. It was always on my mind to run him in the Dubai World Cup and he will have a break now, before running in Europe or America.”

Thunder Snow rounded off his juvenile career with a win in the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud and added the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly last year.

He has now amassed more than £6.3 million in earnings and is by some way the best runner to date for his sire Helmet, a son of Exceed And Excel.