Thunder Snow pushed out for Dubai World Cup repeat on back of wide draw

Thunder Snow has been pushed out to 11-2 (from 4) for Saturday's Dubai World Cup at Meydan after being drawn 12 of 13 for the $12 million contest.

Last year Thunder Snow made all from the outside stall under Christophe Soumillon, who set steady fractions and kept plenty in reserve on a dirt track on which it can be difficult to make up ground.

However, that tactic may be difficult to pull off from stall 12 of 13 as Capezzano and North America, two well-fancied front-runners, will break from stalls two and three respectively.

Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor admitted he would have chosen a stall towards the middle had Thunder Snow not been pulled out second-last in a lengthy ceremony in which runners were chosen at random and connections then decided their starting berth.

North America, who has been cut to 7-2 (from 4) following the draw, was the first runner picked. His rider Richard Mullen said: "We looked at it this morning and thought three or four would have been good. The problem with stall one is you are loaded up first."

North America blew his chance at the gate last year but Mullen is not expecting a similarly slow break.

He added: "He hasn't put a foot wrong this year, we've schooled him out of the gates at home, and I think it was just one of those things. I'm happy with the draw and the horse is in great form."

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