Saeed bin Suroor is under no illusions about the task facing Thunder Snow at Royal Ascot next Tuesday.
The UAE Derby winner was pulled up after a furlong during the Kentucky Derby at the start of May, but bounced back to fill the runner-up spot behind Churchill in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.
The Godolphin-owned Thunder Snow is set for a rematch with Aidan O'Brien's brilliant colt in the St James's Palace Stakes and Bin Suroor admits his charge has his work cut out as he bids to reverse the form.
"Thunder Snow tries hard in his races, but Churchill beat him comfortably at the Curragh, and that colt is again the one to beat," said the trainer.
"He is our best horse, and he has done very well after coming back home from Ireland.
"He will run well, but it is a very tough race."
Bin Suroor plans to "discuss all the horses with Sheikh Mohammed" before firming up his plans for the summer showpiece fixture.
Beautiful Romance, last seen finishing second in the Dubai Gold Cup, is a possible runner in the Gold Cup, but Bin Suroor wants to see an improvement in her home work.
He told www.godolphin.com: " She hasn't been showing me a lot in the mornings here at Newmarket.
"She's a very good two-mile filly, we know that, but I want to see something in her next piece of serious work."
