Snow digs deep for UAE Derby glory

Thunder Snow got up in the shadow of the post to deny the Japanese raider Epicharis in the UAE Derby at Meydan.Winner of the UAE 2000 Guineas on his dirt debut, Thunder Snow appeared to have everything under control as he travelled up to the quarters of Epicharis.However, inside the final furlong, Thunder Snow jinked to his right, catching Christophe Soumillon off balance and handing the initiative to his Far East rival.To his immense credit, Thunder Snow knuckled down again, regained top speed and narrowly prevailed in a photo to give Saeed bin Suroor an eighth win in the race."It wasn't an easy race, but the horse is a champion," said Bin Suroor."He was a Group One winner in France, won the Guineas here and to win the UAE Derby is great. The jockey gave him a brilliant ride."Victory means he is automatically qualified for the Kentucky Derby but Bin Suroor would not be drawn on future targets.He said: "We'll talk to Sheikh Mohammed before making any plans."Master Plan was third, with Aidan O'Brien's Dewhurst Stakes runner-up Lancaster Bomber in fourth.