Snow Fairy: The True Color of Snow

IRL Horses

The Queen Elizabeth II Cup is a G1 race in Japan, named in honor of the Queen of England following her visit to the country in 1975.

Since its creation in 1970, when it was still known as the Victoria Cup, the race has been regarded as one of the most important races for mares. Before 1996, it served as the final leg of the Triple Crown, and from 1996 onward, it became a stage for top-class mares to compete in the autumn.

Yet despite carrying the name of the Queen of England, only one European challenger has ever managed to bring the tiara home from the Land of the Rising Sun.

That explorer’s name was Snow Fairy (スノーフェアリー). At the time of her birth, however, no one could have imagined that she would become a history-maker: the only European-trained mare to win a G1 race in Japan, and the only foreign horse to conquer the same G1 race there in consecutive years, at least for now.

Impression, Soleil Levant

Snow Fairy’s story began in Ireland.

On February 12, 2007, Woodland Dream, a mare owned by Windflower Overseas Holdings Inc., gave birth to a bay filly.

Her father was Intikhab, a miler with solid race credentials, including a runner-up finish in the G1 Dubai Duty Free, an eight-length victory in the G2 Queen Anne Stakes, and a five-length victory in the G3 Diomed Stakes, before going on to establish a respectable record at stud.

But despite her respectable pedigree, she attracted little attention at auction. In 2008, she was entered in the Tattersalls Ireland Sale, but failed to draw any buyers and was bought back for just €1,800 by her breeder, Mrs Cristina Patino, who had bred her under the name of Windflower Overseas Holdings Inc. She was later placed under the ownership and raced in the silks of Anamoine Ltd.

Mrs Patino then entrusted the mare to Newmarket-based veteran trainer Edward A. L. Dunlop, who had already trained several G1 winners, including Lailani and Ouija Board.

Given her pedigree, she made her debut in a 1,214-meter race (6 furlongs and 8 yards, or 6f 8y for short) at Newbury Racecourse. Her debut was relatively early, as she ran on June 23, 2009, when she was just two years old.

Though she finished third in that race, she went on to win her next start a month later in a 1,200-meter maiden at Lingfield Park Racecourse.

Following that success, her trainer stepped her up into four listed and graded races over distances of 1,200 to 1,400 meters, but she was unable to win any of them. Sometimes because of bad start, sometimes being boxed in.

For many, it came as no surprise that a €1,800 purchase could only achieve so much. But Mrs Patino and trainer Dunlop saw something more, believing that this ordinary-looking mare possessed strength far beyond her price. She was not just wrapping paper meant to make others look more beautiful, she was a work of art herself.

Thus, after considering every factor, from the weight she would carry to the condition of the turf, and following a half-year break and further training, they ultimately entered her in the Listed Height of Fashion Stakes.

The race was named after Height of Fashion, a mare owned by the Queen, who produced the English Triple Crown winner Nashwan and several other G1 winners. Run over 1,991 meters (1m 1f 197y), and given its place on the calendar, it is often regarded as a stepping stone toward the Epsom Oaks.

This was her first time running over a classic distance, and she went off as the fifth favorite in an eight-horse field. But when the gates opened, she stumbled and got off to a poor start. For many, it seemed her race was already over; after all, she was only a €1,800 purchase. But she had other ideas. Regaining her rhythm quickly, she settled toward the rear.

When reaching the 600-meter pole, she started her spurt. To everyone’s surprise, she unleashed a stunning turn of foot, surging forward like a strong wind sweeping in from the English Channel. With that burst, she swept past her rivals and stormed home to victory, winning by a commanding three lengths.

It was the moment the seemingly plain mare revealed her true colors and proved she was far more than her modest price suggested.

Snow Storm: Steam-Boat off a Harbour's Mouth

Fascinated by the brilliance she had shown in that race, Mrs Patino decided, without hesitation, to enter Snow Fairy in the G1 Epsom Oaks, even though it required an additional £20,000 supplementary entry fee (about €23,000 at the time), far exceeding her purchase price.

But she knew it was time to let her shine before the world, and that she would not let that chance go to waste.

Two weeks later, on June 4, 2010, she set foot on Epsom Downs for the first time, ready to take on one of the most prestigious races in England and the world. On her back was Ryan Moore, a three-time champion jockey on the British flat.

She was only the seventh favorite, and her rivals, one after another, were graded-race winners. However, there was no single horse whose ability clearly stood above the rest.

Under the gentle spring sunlight, the battle for one of British horseracing’s most prestigious crowns began. After the start, while the others fought hard to secure good positions, Snow Fairy settled at the very rear of the field, conserving her stamina, like a storm started to gather. But as they entered the final straight, she found herself still boxed in behind a wall of horses.

But the long Epsom straight offered one last chance. Stretching for about 800 meters, it gave her plenty of time to find a way through. Thus, jockey Moore told her to accelerate, even if it meant driving straight into the pack. And she responded quickly.

Under the precise guidance of her jockey, and with a pure burst of speed, she sliced through the field like a sharp icicle, sweeping past her rivals within just 400 meters. By the 200-meter mark, she was already in front.

Facing the final steep climb, she did not stop. Instead, she drove on relentlessly, giving everything she had, even brushing against the inner rail.

At last, she outran the pursuer behind her and crossed the line first, claiming her first graded victory, a G1 triumph. The snowstorm swept away the gentle sunlight, marking the moment when the Snow Fairy revealed her true form.

Riding the momentum, her owner entered her in another Oaks race, this time in her home country of Ireland. The supplementary entry fee was €42,500, but after her astonishing victory at Epsom, there was never any doubt they would pay it.

And so, one month later, she returned to Ireland to compete on Irish soil for the first time. This time, however, she was sent off as the second favorite, just behind Hibaayeb, a G1 winner carrying the famed Godolphin blue.

The race began under a thick, cloud-covered sky. After the start, both Snow Fairy and Hibaayeb settled near the rear for much of the race.

But as they entered the long straight at Curragh Racecourse, Snow Fairy transformed into a spectacular snow storm sweeping across the course, while Hibaayeb struggled to even keep up.

It already seemed like the race was hers just after they passed the 200-meter pole, as no one could counter her move and could only watch her pull further and further away.

She won the race by a commanding eight lengths, capturing the Irish Oaks, Ireland’s premier contest for top-class fillies. In doing so, she established herself as the best among the elite, an Oaks queen in two countries.

And in Ireland, where she had once been overlooked in the sales ring, she returned not as a bargain, but as a queen.

La Japonaise

After being crowned the three-year-old queen, Snow Fairy set her sights on new challenges.

First, she threw down the gauntlet to the older mares in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks.

In the field were Sariska, the wine-red veteran and the previous year’s Oaks double winner and Cartier Award Champion Three-Year-Old Filly; and

Midday, a two-time G1 Nassau Stakes winner and the reigning Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf champion, carrying the grass-green colors of both the Old World and the New, along with many other formidable rivals.

In the end, she finished second, unable to catch Midday in the final stages after a near miss with the inner rail during her run, while Sariska was withdrawn after standing motionless in the starting stalls as the gates opened.

But that did not stop her from taking on a challenge that had stood for 18 years: winning the G1 St Leger Stakes in England as a filly. That's a 2,920-meter (1m 6f 115y) race and the final leg of the English Triple Crown.

And she was the only filly among a field of colts and stallions. Once again, she executed her late-surge tactics to near perfection and actually began to close in during the early stages of the stretch. However, the distance might ultimately proved too much, and she could not sustain her pursuit in the final 200 meters, finishing fourth.

While considering her next move, she came across news from Japan, a land of vivid seasons, where light and color flowed through everyday life.

At the time, the Japan Racing Association was offering a substantial bonus to foreign horses that had already won certain G1 races, provided they could also finish in the top three in designated G1 races in Japan. Among those qualifying races was the Epsom Oaks.

It was also not the first time trainer Dunlop had sent a horse to Japan. In fact, he had previously sent Ouija Board to Tokyo to contest the Japan Cup, where she finished fifth and third in her two attempts.

So she set sail for Japan, entering the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the Japan Cup, carrying the muted light of England with her, hoping it would bloom into brighter colors in the Land of the Rising Sun.

The Gion Shrine in Snow

But she was not the only one bringing her own colors. In Japan, her rivals carried their own as well, each eager to leave a bold stroke across the canvas of history with their hooves.

First was T M Precure (テイエムプリキュア), who had once shone with prismatic brilliance, executing a remarkable front-running strategy alongside her partner, Queen Spumante (クイーンスプマンテ), to sweep the top two in the previous year’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup. This time, however, she returned alone.

Next was Little Amapola (リトルアマポーラ), who had misjudged the pace in the previous year’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup, allowing the two front-runners to pull away beyond her reach. This time, carrying the golden glow of the tiara she had claimed two years earlier, she returned determined not to let that mistake happen again.

Then came Meisho Beluga (メイショウベルーガ), a mare beloved in the ancient capital of Kyoto, where she had captured two graded races with a stunning closing burst. Leaving a blur of elegant purple trailing behind her, she now sought to claim her first G1 victory over the course she knew so well.

And last came the most formidable rival in the field: Apapane (アパパネ), the third filly in Japanese racing history to win the Triple Tiara. The same age as Snow Fairy, she carried a blazing red in her gaze and would not yield the throne of the three-year-old empress.

On November 14, 2010, seventeen different colors gathered on the turf of Kyoto, ready to be painted across the deep autumn of the ancient capital.

As the fourth favorite, Snow Fairy settled within the pack after the gates opened, rather than dropping to the rear as she had before.

Just ahead of her were Little Amapola and Apapane, while Meisho Beluga followed close behind. T M Precure soon surged to the front, letting her colors flashing across the field before blending into the rest.

The stalemate held throughout the race, until they exited the final turn, when sunlight finally broke through the clouds.

While T M Precure struggled to keep the lead, Snow Fairy and Apapane launched their attacks. Apapane swung to the outside, attempting to take down Little Amapola ahead of her, but the golden glow refused to give in to the blazing red, forcing Apapane to fight hard before finally overcoming the former queen.

But at the same time, a streak of royal purple burst past them from the outside, that composed color revealing itself as Meisho Beluga, unleashing her extraordinary power in the closing stages.

While the colors competed in brilliance, none realized until the very end that a cold white light had pierced through along the inside, bursting forth with a purity they had never seen before, gathering every color into its light in the final stretch.

To the awe of all, Snow Fairy surged across the finish line with a devastating burst of speed, leaving Meisho Beluga four lengths behind in second. At that moment, the snow from Great Britain fell upon the crimson maple leaves of Japan, reclaiming the tiara that bore the Queen’s name.

Next, although she had been scheduled to run in the Japan Cup against stronger rivals such as Buena Vista (ブエナビスタ), Nakayama Festa (ナカヤマフェスタ), Eishin Flash (エイシンフラッシュ), Victoire Pisa (ヴィクトワールピサ), and Rose Kingdom (ローズキングダム), her trainer ultimately decided to withdraw her from the race, considering the fatigue she had accumulated since arriving in Japan.

But she did not return to England immediately. Instead, she made a stop in Hong Kong to compete in the G1 Hong Kong Cup.

Although the race was held in Hong Kong, only five of the thirteen runners were locally trained. Most of her rivals came from France, each carrying an impressive record.

Despite being a foreign runner, she was sent off as the favorite, and she did not let her fans down. In the race, she once again displayed her trademark late surge, casting the snow magic perfectly as they entered the 400-meter straight at Sha Tin.

From the rear, she came like a gathering snowstorm, slowly consuming the rivals ahead. In the final 50 meters, the storm swallowed the last horse before her, and the fairy burst through, completing a stunning overtake and storming past the goal.

And in that moment, it was as if snow had fallen over Hong Kong, as every color faded into white, and all eyes were drawn to its pure shine.

After returning to England, she was soon awarded the Cartier Award for Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, a fitting recognition for the once-overlooked Snow Fairy.

Water-Lily Pond, Symphony in Rose

As 2011 arrived and she turned four, a new chapter began. After a period of rest in England, she was set to travel to Dubai to contest the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic.

But just a few weeks before the race, something did not seem quite right with her right foreleg, leading her trainer to withdraw her from the race to avoid any risk of injury.

After the unfortune end to her Middle East trip, she returned to England and rested until June. She was initially prepared for her comeback in the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes in Ireland, but her trainer felt that the soft ground would not suit her and withdrew her before the race.

Instead, they turned to a backup plan: the G1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park just one week later.

Despite having only five runners, the race was anything but easy, as all her rivals were top-tier horses, including Workforce, the turquoise-blue Cartier Champion Three-Year-Old Colt, and So You Think, already a six-time G1 winner, carrying the vibrant yellow from Down Under.

In that race, however, although she settled near the back, like she always did, she couldn't pick up speed in the final stretch and ultimately finished fourth.

After this defeat, she rushed to reclaim her colors. Just one month later, she returned in the G1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in England, facing the two-time winner Midday.

Although she tracked right behind Midday throughout the race, she used too much energy shifting to the inside in the final stretch, missing her chance to accelerate and close the gap, while Midday shone once more, her grass-green colors echoing the turf beneath her as she claimed a historic third Nassau Stakes victory.

She was initially bound for York to make another attempt in the Yorkshire Oaks, but the plan was called off at the last moment, as her trainer felt the conditions that day did not suit her, again.

Her trainer then turned to a backup plan, preparing her for the G1 Prix Jean Romanet in Deauville, France, just three days later.

But this time, he soon realized the plan would not work. Another trainer pointed out to France Galop that, under French rules, any horse declared for a race and then withdrawn could not be entered again within the next eight days.

At that point, things were really starting to fall apart for Snow Fairy. She then finished second in her next race, the G1 Irish Champion Stakes, as her old rival So You Think once again outran her and crossed the line first.

She then traveled to France for the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. There, she witnessed Nakayama Festa, the violet from Japan that had nearly bloomed in the same race a year earlier, only to wither under the Parisian sunlight, and Danedream, a glittering citrine from Germany, who shattered both the record and expectations to become only the second German horse to win the race.

As for herself, she finished third, a respectable result in one of the most prestigious races in the world.

Then, just two weeks later, back in England, the G1 Champion Stakes at Ascot was waiting for her, along with her long-time rivals, Midday and So You Think. But none of them won, as Cirrus des Aigles, a battle-hardened eagle from France, finally revealed the silver beneath his wings and claimed his first G1 victory.

In contrast, Snow Fairy was badly blocked in the final stretch and finished third. Her career for now was just like that run, trapped among endless obstacles and shadows.

She had run in five races across three countries in four months, without a single victory. Trapped in a season of shadows, her thoughts drifted back to the vibrant stage where she had once shone.

Determined to break free from the endless gloom, she boarded a flight to Japan once more, despite the short rest and long journey, to run in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup, chasing the light she had once brought there.

Kameyama: Clear Weather after Snow

What awaited her there was familiar in part, yet largely unknown.

First was Apapane, who had been through a lot since their last meeting. Although she had won the G1 Victoria Mile earlier that year, putting her just one step away from becoming the first mare to win every mare-only G1 race, her form took a sharp downturn in the autumn, finishing near the back in a mare-only G2 race before this contest. This led many to question whether the fire that once burned in her eyes was still there.

Next was Aventura (アヴェンチュラ), a daughter of Jungle Pocket (ジャングルポケット) and the Shuka Sho winner that year. Having overcome a broken bone that could have ended her career, she had not lost a single race since her comeback at the end of July, like a plant renewed after the storm, its emerald leaves gleaming with fresh life.

Then there was Reve d'Essor (レーヴディソール), a daughter of Agnes Tachyon (アグネスタキオン) who had won the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies undefeated and went on to take the G3 Tulip Sho as an overwhelming favorite. Sadly, she suffered a broken bone after that race and was forced to rest for half a year. This race marked her comeback, as she sought to let her amber dream shine once more.

And there was Whale Capture (ホエールキャプチャ), a daughter of Kurofune (クロフネ), who had never finished below third in her first ten races, yet still without a G1 victory despite contesting all the major mare-only G1 races at two and three. This was her chance to surge from the deep blue ocean and finally make her mark on history.

Carrying the weight of being the defending champion and the most favorite horse, Snow Fairy now sought to rediscover the pure white she had once cast upon the turf of Kyoto.

With all 18 colors in place, the canvas of Kyoto Racecourse was once again set, ready to be painted by the effort and devotion of every horse and everyone behind them.

While her jockey, Ryan Moore, who had partnered her on her journey to the East the year before, patting her neck, she stood tall, looking out at the excited crowd of Japanese fans. The colors in their eyes burned in her gaze, and the light she had been chasing finally seemed within reach.

After the gates opened, a streak of indigo light shot straight to the front. That light was Shimmei Fuji (シンメイフジ), attempting to recreate the miracle of T M Precure and Queen Spumante from two years earlier by winning with a grand escape strategy. Thanks to her, the pace of the race was extremely fast.

Beside her, Whale Capture was leading the pack, with Apapane right on her tail and Aventura just behind. Reve d'Essor raced on the outside, while Snow Fairy sat in the middle of the pack. Compared to her position last year, she was slightly further back this time, tracking the prismatic lights of those Japanese stars as she prepared for a grand comeback.

Entering the final stretch, Shimmei Fuji was still out in front, but the others were closing in fast. First came Whale Capture, then Apapane, followed by Aventura, their colors leaving beautiful streaks across the turf. And behind those trails, they began to merge into one: the snow-white she had been searching for.

Following the light, Snow Fairy finally unleashed her snow magic, the burst of speed that had once defined her, reclaiming the brilliance that had brought her glory.

Between the blazing red, emerald green, ocean blue, and indigo purple, the snow-white burst clear, opening a gap and carrying all the colors toward the finish line.

At last, Snow Fairy claimed another G1 victory, becoming the only foreign horse to win back-to-back G1 races in Japan, a record that still stands to this day. Behind her step was a beautiful galaxy, its light lingering in the deep autumn of Kyoto.

Snow at Louveciennes

Although she had finally found her light again, it soon dimmed once more, as she was forced to withdraw from the G1 Hong Kong Vase after being diagnosed with tendonitis in her left foreleg. It was a diagnosis that could possibly extinguish her light for good.

But she refused to give up the light she had finally regained. She devoted herself to rest and rehabilitation, working tirelessly to protect that light.

Nine months later, she decided it was time to test whether she could once again cast her snow magic with the light within her, entering the G1 Prix Jean Romanet, the race she had been unable to run in before.

And she did win, unleashing her magic-like burst of speed despite the attacks from her rivals in the final stretch, and despite her just recovered left foreleg.

She then chose to return to her birthplace, Ireland, to contest the G1 Irish Champion Stakes. Standing before her were five stallions, each carrying formidable race records.

But she did not back down. She was determined to show them who Snow Fairy was.

After the start, she settled near the back, quietly observing the light ahead of her, just as she always did. As they entered the final stretch, she built up her speed smoothly, just like casting a spell.

Charging up the slope toward the finish, the globe-trotting princess shook off all challengers and claimed victory once again, with a stunning course record.

She was really like the snow fairy, radiant yet resilient.

Almond Blossom

But no matter how brightly she shone, one day her light would inevitably fade. And that time had come, as her tendonitis relapsed, preventing her from running in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and from facing the golden light of hope, Japan’s new Triple Crown winner, Orfevre (オルフェーヴル).

Although she fought hard against the disease, her tendonitis worsened day by day, and she was later disqualified from her victory in the Prix Jean Romanet due to an excessive level of medication used to treat the injury. Finally, in June 2013, she had no choice but to retire from the track.

From a foal overlooked by almost everyone to a snow fairy who cast magic of light and color on racecourses around Europe and Asia, Snow Fairy’s story was truly another Cinderella tale, a reminder that even the most humble horse could achieve wonders.

After her retirement, she was sent to Islanmore Stud, owned by Mrs Patino, to become a broodmare. As of now, she has produced four foals, though their results have not been particularly outstanding.

But her name remains in history, in ways beyond the pedigree. At Leopardstown, where she ran her final race, a statue was erected in her honor. She even visited it herself at the unveiling ceremony. At Curragh, a G3 race bearing her name is held every late August.

At Ireland’s two main racecourses, the snow-white light that once shone on the track will continue to glow, quietly and resiliently.

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My past work (Sorted by Classic-Year Era):

1985-1989

Sakura Star O: Spirit of the Ink-Black Cherry Blossom

1990-1994

Narita Hayabusa: A Sand Falcon Born in the Wrong Era

Sanei Thank You: The Sorrow Known Only By Jizō

Hokuto Vega: Stardust Scattered in a Foreign Land

Oguri Roman: A Silver Bloom in the Shadow

Offside Trap: The Winner on the Glorious but Silent Sunday

1995-1999