Dubai: Saeed Bin Surour, Godolphin’s highly regarded trainer, will be the first to admit that he can be his own worst critic.

Prior to the start of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, Bin Surour, a seven-time champion trainer at the event, declared that his yard at Al Quoz Stables in Dubai was shorn of big-race hopefuls and that he would be happy to ‘just win a few races.’

However, after Saturday’s Carnival meeting at Meydan, the Emiraiti handler has every reason to look forward with great enthusiasm following the sweeping victory of Thunder Snow in the Group 3 $250,000 UAE 2,000 Guineas.

A high-class Darley homebred by Helmet, Thunder Snow crossed the line 5 ¾ lengths clear of his closest rival, the Doug Watson-trained Bee Keeper, and is now a half-price favourite to win the Group 2 $2 million UAE Derby on Dubai World Cup night, a race that Bin Surour has won on seven previous occasions.

More significantly, he has also thrust himself into the reckoning for the Group 1 Epsom Derby, a race that his handler has not won since Lammtarra triumphed in 1995.

Bin Surour refused to look that far down the road with Thunder Snow, but did admit that he was excited at campaigning him in the UAE Derby and in Europe later this year. “I was very impressed with his performance but it was an easy race for him,” said Bin Surour. “I was happy that he also handled the dirt, which gives us more options, as he best form is on Turf, where he won the Group 1 Grand Criterium at Saint-Cloud (France).

“Obviously, the UAE Derby is the main goal but we could also go to the Al Bastakiya on Super Saturday (March 4).

“After we see how he performs in these races, we will make a plan for him when we take him back to Europe. But yes, he’s an exciting horse to have in the stable.

While Bin Surour characteristically did a good job at concealing his elation, Thunder Snow’s jockey Christophe Soumillon was effusive in his praise for the three-year-old who has made a sensational start to his Classic season.

“I knew he was better than rest and he is pure quality,” the Belgian ace said. “I was always travelling very easily and without the kickback it was very easy.

“I’m not the boss! But I think he can win some big races in Europe after the Derby.”

Thunder Snow won two of six starts as a juvenile in 2016 when campaigned in England and France. Fourth behind Ireland’s Churchill in the Group 1 Dubai Dewhurst, Britain’s most prestigious race for juvenile horses and a key pointer to the Classics next season, Thunder Snow ended the year on a high winning the Criterium at Saint-Cloud.

Meanwhile, Zabeel Stables boss Satish Seemar’s UAE season got better and better as he saddled North America, a former Godolphin trainee, to win the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes, a significant prep for the Godolphin Mile on Dubai World Cup night.

North America was winning his fourth start on the bounce and has clearly emerged as another stable favourite of Seemar and his team at the pristine Zabeel Stables, home to the wonderful champion UAE sprinter, Reynaldothewizard.

“It’s really nice to have horses like him, Reynaldo, Surfer and some of the others,” said a proud Seemar. “He’s done nothing but improve all season and I think we haven’t seen the best of him yet.”