Beware the Snowstorm

Michael Bell was delighted when a snowstorm swept across Newmarket Heath. This particular Snowstorm was not part of the recent awful weather, but a tall iron-grey racehorse who has improved tremendously during the winter and could land today's Victor Chandler Chester Vase.

The race has proved a good trial for the Derby, but Snowstorm will, instead, be aimed at one of Royal Ascot's big prizes if he sparkles today.

Bell, a former officer in the Life Guards who learned his latest trade as an assistant to both Mercy Rimell and Paul Cole, said: "He looks like one of our principal bullets this year. He's entered in the Irish Derby but is more likely to go for the King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal meeting, which is a more realistic route for him.

"By Environmental Friend, he is not bred to be a Derby horse, but he is a chap who is giving us a lot of pleasure on the gallops at the moment and I reckon he has improved 10 to 15 pounds at three-years-old. He has trained on extremely well and looks a picture.

"We have been hanging on to him for a long time now because he is a fast ground horse, and from what I have heard of the going up in that part of the country, it should be just right for him. The Chester track owes me a few favours because of Housemaster's experience in the race two years ago. That still grates."

On that occasion Housemaster, a strong fancy for the Derby, was first past the post in the Vase but was demoted to fourth, having barged through. Ultimately, he was also fourth at Epsom only just over three lengths behind Oath before being sold to race in Hong Kong for Ivan Allen and winning a valuable mile-and-a-quarter event there last year.