Thunder heads back to France

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Last Updated: 03/04/19 10:07am

Trainer Joseph Tuite Trainer Joseph Tuite

Trainer Joseph Tuite

Joe Tuite will send Surrey Thunder back to France for a Group Three after being narrowly denied in a Listed race at Saint-Cloud last month.

The three-year-old, a winner at Windsor last October, appeared to have done everything right under Alexis Badel only to be caught on the line by Talk Or Listen.

“He’ll go back to France on Sunday week for a Group Three at Longchamp,” said Tuite.

“He did everything right, apart from getting done on the line last time. It was his first run of the season, and I think with a run under his belt he probably would have held on.

“Big three-year-old colts are not easy to have spot on first time up – but he’s tough, courageous and battles hard.”

Surrey Thunder fared well enough to justify his return mission.

“We’ll go back out to France, because he qualifies for the premiums and it seems the place to go with him at the moment,” added Tuite.

“Soft ground doesn’t bother him, but I don’t think it was as soft as they said it was the last day – it was more tacky and dead.”

The Lambourn trainer has unfortunately had to put plans on hold for promising filly Angel Mead, who had several subsequent winners behind her when winning at Newbury in July.

“I’m afraid she won’t be out until the second half of the season,” he said.

“She’s had a bit of a problem and is on the back-burner.

“It was a simple thing that went wrong with her – but it will keep her out for a long time, which is a sickener.”

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