Royal Ascot 2017 – Churchill and Thunder Snow set to clash in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot
Saeed bin Suroor, Thunder Snow's trainer, admits his colt will face a tough task trying to reverse the form after finishing second to Churchill in the Irish 2,000 Guineas
TRAINER Saeed bin Suroor admits Thunder Snow faces a huge task in next week's St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Bin Suroor's colt was dramatically pulled up after a furlong during the Kentucky Derby when bucking his way through the first part of the race.
He bounced back when back on turf to fill the runner-up spot behind Churchill in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.
The pair are set to meet again and bin Suroor revealed he doesn't expect it to be easy.
"Thunder Snow tries hard in his races, but Churchill beat him comfortably at the Curragh, and that colt is again the one to beat," said the trainer.
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"He is our best horse, and he has done very well after coming back home from Ireland.
"He will run well, but it is a very tough race."
Bin Suroor plans to "discuss all the horses with Sheikh Mohammed" before deciding where his horses run at the Royal meeting.
Beautiful Romance, last seen finishing second in the Dubai Gold Cup, is a possible runner in the Gold Cup, but Bin Suroor wants to see some improvement from her.
He told www.godolphin.com: "She hasn't been showing me a lot in the mornings here at Newmarket.
"She's a very good two-mile filly, we know that, but I want to see something in her next piece of serious work."