Ed Dunlop has hailed Snow Fairy as a "phenomenal racehorse" following her triumphant return from injury at Deauville on Sunday.
Trainer revels in 'sensational day'
Ed Dunlop has hailed Snow Fairy as a "phenomenal racehorse" following her triumphant return from injury at Deauville on Sunday.
The five-year-old had been off the track since damaging a tendon following her Grade One win in Japan last November but bounced back in style as she landed the Group One Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville.
Snow Fairy, the dual Oaks winner two years ago, was securing a sixth victory at the top table in the process and trainer Dunlop admitted it had been a special day for him and his team.
He said: "It was a truly sensational day. She's got a huge heart and she's very tough.
"She's come back from a very serious injury in a relatively short period of time and has come out and won a Group One against good fillies that have all been racing this year so it's truly amazing.
Moore Help
"There were plenty of reasons for thinking it could all go wrong but Ryan Moore has been very helpful in her preparation. She had three racecourse gallops ridden by him and even he was fairly emotional. It was a great day," he told
At The Races.
Dunlop also trained the globetrotting mare Ouija Board to win seven Group Ones between 2004 and 2006 and Snow Fairy is of the same calibre in his opinion.
"(Comparison between her and Ouija Board) is totally justified," he said.
"She's now won five Group Ones in five different countries and not many horses do that. She's won a Group One at three, four and five.
"She's a truly phenomenal racehorse and we're very lucky to have her."
Big-Race Options
Dunlop now has a variety of big-race options with a trip to Leopardstown for the Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes - a race in which she finished second last year - a possibility on September 8.
"She's on her way back to us. I've just spoke to Robin (Trevor-Jones), my travelling head lad, on the horsebox and he seemed very happy with her, she seems all right today," Dunlop said.
"She's entered in the Irish Champion, we will enter her in the Vermeille, the Opera, the Arc, the Breeders' Cup - I'm not sitting on the fence but we will get her home, see how she is first and then take it from there."
