Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe day has been laden with success for the Saint-Martin family and the trend looks set to continue at Sha Tin today when Eric Saint-Martin teams up with Dashing Thunder in the Chongqing Handicap over 1,600 metres at Sha Tin.
Saint-Martin reached the pinnacle of his career 12 years ago when winning France's most famous race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, on board the Jean Lesbordes-trained Urban Sea, following in the footsteps of his famous father, Yves, who won the event four times.
Yves Saint-Martin's first success in the famous French Group One came in 1970 when taking the time-honoured event on Sassafras and he followed up four years later on board the champion filly Allez France.
His third win came in 1982 on Akiyda, with his fourth victory being for former Hong Kong trainer Patrick Biancone on Sagace two years later.
Continuing the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe theme is the fact that Dashing Thunder's sire, Peintre Celebre, was an emphatic winner of the race under Olivier Peslier back in 1997.
Dashing Thunder showed he was set to return to his best form when resuming from a spell with a close second to Lotzatow at Sha Tin on September 4.