First Group One Winner for Helmet

Tara Madgwick - Monday October 31

Darley's triple Group I winner Helmet sired his first Group I winner overnight in France with the Godolphin runner Thunder Snow bolting away to capture the Group I Criterium International at Saint-Cloud in a breeze.

A Darley homebred prepared by Saeed bin Suroor, Thunder Snow was partnered by Christophe Soumillion and had good form coming into the race having been twice second in Group II events and a solid fourth in the Group I Dewhurst Stakes to star Galileo colt Churchill.

Helmet

He relished the soft ground to cruise home and win the seven furlong contest by five lengths in a dominant display.

Thunder Snow is the fourth stakes-winner from four foals to race from remarkable producer Eastern Joy, a half-sister by Dubai Destination to Group I winner West Wind.

Outside of Thunder Snow, Eastern Joy is also the dam of Group II winner Ihtimal, Group III winner First Victory and stakes-winner Always Smile.

Thunder Snow is the second stakes-winner for Helmet, who is also the sire of Australian based Group III winner Archives.

A brilliant son of Darley's champion sire Exceed and Excel, Helmet stands at Darley Victoria at a fee of $16,500.

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