LONDON: Thunder Snow’s bid to become the first back-to-back winner of the Dubai World Cup will have be to be achieved from gate 12 in the 13-horse field. Saturday’s $12 million race draw features a random selection of horses and as each runner is selected, a trainer selects a Gate. There was to be no home track advantage for Goodphin’s Thunder Snow, who was selected second-last and Saeed bin Suroor picked Gate 12 from the two remaining two left, 12 and 13. That will make life tough for the five-year-old star, something the Godolphin head trainer admitted. “It is not easy, that’s the truth. Last year (jockey) Christophe (Soumillon) gave him a good ride, pushed him all the way to be close to the rail. I hope this can happen again this year,” Bin Suroor said. “The horse has come back well from his last race and has worked well.”