Thunder Snow shows his serious side for joker Soumillon

Two months ago Christophe Soumillon flew to Louisville with the dream of winning the Kentucky Derby aboard Thunder Snow, a noble endeavour reduced to the level of ridicule when the son of Helmet turned the Run for the Roses into a rodeo.

While a thousand internet memes have sprung up to ridicule him, Thunder Snow has since undergone a particularly hard school of rehabilitation as a serious colt and got his reward with Soumillon aboard as he secured a second Group 1 in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on Sunday.

Thunder Snow made all and comfortably held favourite Trais Fluors to belatedly follow up last year's Criterium International.

"He is a rock," said Soumillon, who was so determined to keep the partnership intact that he played one of his two disciplinary jokers for the campaign to ride at Chantilly on Sunday. "He is not huge which is what makes him so versatile. Thunder Snow can handle a wide range of distances and if he had run in the Prix du Jockey Club he wouldn't have been far away at the finish. He is a horse for the Dubai World Cup and I played my joker in order to ride him."

Thumbs-up: Christophe Soumillon after Thunder Snow's Prix Jean Prat triumphCredit: Jean-Philippe Martini/Scoopdyga

Bin Suroor also has plenty to be grateful for when it comes to Thunder Snow, who broke something of a Group 1 drought in a virus-hit 2016 when scoring at Saint-Cloud last October.

Bin Suroor said: "I think he likes being in here in France; he has run twice and won two Group 1s.

"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. It depends on the ground and we will have to see how he comes out of this race."

"He has improved with time and he is a very relaxed horse. He does whatever you want in the mornings and in his races. Now we will look to the future for a big Group 1."

For much of the straight it was Gold Luck who gave vain chase to Thunder Snow, with the previously undefeated Trais Fluors only finding his stride late in the day after racing some way off the pace for much of the race.

"The jockey [Vincent Cheminaud] said he was a little bit lifeless breaking from the stalls and he found himself a bit far back, while he wasn't able to pick him up as he would have liked," said owner-breeder Andreas Putsch. "Nonetheless he made up a lot of ground so we are happy. The positive to draw is that he should be able to stay further."

Prix Jean Prat result

The major mile races for three-year-olds have been widely shared this year. Here we look at how some of the other big winners have got on subsequently

2,000 Guineas, Newmarket

Winner: Churchill

Unbeaten as a two-year-old, Churchill arrived at the first Classic of the season as the outstanding candidate and was sent off favourite for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore.

Unflashy and benefiting from a good tactical ride, Churchill fought up the near rail to see off an arguably unlucky Barney Roy and patiently-ridden Al Wukair to take victory.

Where he went next: Irish 2,000 Guineas

1,000 Guineas, Newmarket

Winner: Winter

Successful in a maiden at Dundalk on the last of her three starts for David Wachman, Winter arrived at Newmarket as Aidan O'Brien's third string behind Rhododendron and Hydrangea.

However, she showed herself to be no back number with a sharp turn of foot – coupled with Rhododendron having a poor trip – to take the prize in good style.

Where she went next: Irish 1,000 Guineas

Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, Deauville

Winner: Precieuse

A shock result as 33-1 shot Precieuse surpassed her previous performances to beat the William Haggas-trained Sea Of Grace by nearly two lengths.

Soft ground no doubt played to her strengths and she was unable to produce such a good performance when last on her next start on much quicker ground at Royal Ascot.

Where she went next: Coronation Stakes

Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Deauville

Winner: Brametot

Soft ground and a thrilling finish to this contest. Brametot had made steady progress up to the French 2,000 Guineas, winning the Prix de Fontainebleau trial before Deauville.

He had to work hard to maintain his upward momentum, running down subsequent Jersey Stakes winner Le Brivido in the final stride to score by a short head.

Where he went next: Prix du Jockey Club

Irish 2,000 Guineas, Curragh

Winner: Churchill

Much harder work this time for Churchill, even for a horse who doesn't make winning ever look that easy.

He eventually managed to overhaul pacemaker Lancaster Bomber and Thunder Snow to win on yielding ground at the Curragh, but it was not as straightforward as it could have been.

Where he went next: St James's Palace Stakes

Winter: breezed to success against inferior rivals in the Irish 1,000 GuineasCredit: Caroline Norris

Irish 1,000 Guineas, Curragh

Winner: Winter

If Churchill made winning a second Classic hard work, Winter could not have made it look any easier as she breezed to success against inferior rivals.

Ridden this time by Ryan Moore, who replaced Wayne Lordan, Winter cantered through to win by nearly five lengths, barely coming off the bridle in the process.

Where she went next: Coronation Stakes

St James's Palace Stakes, Royal Ascot

Winner: Barney Roy

A rematch from the 2,000 Guineas between the seemingly unbeatable Churchill and the possibly unlucky Barney Roy.

Sent off 1-2 favourite, Churchill looked anything but the high-class horse he should as he lumbered to fourth behind a sprightly Barney Roy, who defeated Lancaster Bomber by a length.

Where he went next: Eclipse Stakes

Coronation Stakes, Royal Ascot

Winner: Winter

Winter confirmed herself as the outstanding three-year-old filly over a mile – and perhaps best three-year-old over a mile thus far – with another thumping success.

Showing excellent acceleration, she burst clear to complete the same treble as the brilliant Attraction did in 2004.

Where she goes next: Nassau Stakes