Canterbury, Warren, Murwillumbah previews: David Pfieffer is hoping a capable quartet can end run of minor placings for the stable

Trainer David Pfieffer is entitled to a change in fortunes after a strong of minor placings and heads to Canterbury with a quartet more than capable of finding the winners circle.

Trainer David Pfieffer is looking to end a frustrating run of minor placings. Picture: Bradley Photos

Galaxy winning trainer David Pfieffer is intent on ending a frustrating run of close calls when he fronts up at the third Canterbury night session of the 2024/25 summer.

The Warwick Farm-based conditioner has been trackside for the first two meetings - all three of his equine participants finished second in their respective races; two of them, just inches away from winning.

Pfieffer saddles-up four of his string at Canterbury including a pair of Russian Revolution daughters in consecutive races namely Mackinaw Peach and Russian Snitzel.

The TAB has priced first starter Mackinaw Peach at $41 to win the Quayclean Handicap (1100m) which seems an unfair assessment of both her talent and prospects.

💨 RUSSIAN SNITZEL speeds away with the prize at Canberra to take her career earnings past the $50K mark

The mare pinged the lids and was rated a treat by @jeanvovermeire to score her 2nd win in some style ✌️

🔵 ⚪ Many congrats to all her owners pic.twitter.com/pzex8uWcJ7

— David Pfieffer Racing (@DavidPfieffer) August 23, 2024

“I thought her trial was good the other day in a strong heat,” Pfieffer said.

“She is pretty professional; she is doing everything right and it looks like she’s got a nice barrier (4) and a nice rider (Tyler Schiller).

“Being her first start in a race, having a nice gate like that, it gives her an opportunity to get herself balanced and get around that turn and allow her to finish off.

“I couldn’t go there and say she’ll be winning but I wouldn’t be surprised if she won.”

Four-year-old mare Russian Snitzel, meanwhile, is ready and able to maintain her compelling fresh record when she resumes in the TAB Handicap (1100m) saddled with barrier 13 which is not as unlucky as it sounds.

“She’s a speed horse and she’ll fly the lids,” Pfieffer said.

“It is probably actually going to work for her unless they go hard underneath her but you don’t want to take away her asset do you.”

Russian Snitzel’s blinding speed was more than enough for Canberra local Everido who chased her home in a 1000m Class 2 on the Acton on August 23.

He’s franked Russian Snitzel’s form by winning a TAB Highway in the intervening period.

Go Troppo builds on his consistent form as he wins Race 5 at Canterbury deep into his preparation 👏 @aus_turf_club@[e-mail]/IYshvpzwE4

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 19, 2024

Ironically, Pfieffer will have a set of Everido’s ubiquitous silks in his kit-bag when he and the Laurel Oak equine Go Troppo arrive on course.

A $150,000 yearling purchase, Go Troppo has won close to $400,000 in his 41 starts.

The son of Hinchinbrook is something of a track and distance specialist with a sublime record of one win, two seconds and a third from his four 1900m Canterbury missions before this one.

“He’s been a great old horse,” his trainer said.

“It’s funny, he is finally actually starting to mature over the last 18 months.

“I thought he was unlucky the other day at Rosehill. He got shut out in the straight and lost all his momentum.

“It’s probably big drop in grade for him.”

Pfieffer’s final runner on the card is Vegas Raider who is a prime example of the trainer’s acumen at yearling sales.

The son of Invader was picked up at the HTBA Yearling sale by Pfieffer for $38,000.

He was $100,000 in front after winning the rich Inglis Challenge at his very first start.

“He is another speed horse that will be well suited to this track,” Pfieffer said.

“He’ll ping and he’ll run and play that catch me if you can game.”

EDMONDS AN MCLEAN CHASING A MURWILLUMBAH DOUBLE

Inaugural Everest participating trainer Toby Edmonds crosses the Tweed River border with a pair of well-bred three-year-old fillies.

First to go is the Widden-born Paperino who makes her debut in the Level Plumbing Super Maiden Plate over 1200m.

The short priced favoruite Accelar was too quick out of the gates and wins the opener at the Sunshine Coast. @EdmondsRacingpic.twitter.com/5Ywqdhyodn

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 26, 2024

The Dundeel granddaughter of Ponton Flyer has a double digit draw in the Murwillumbah maiden but that may be no disadvantage on the Heavy track.

“She’s drawn wide so she will get out in the middle of the track and run on well,” Edmonds said.

“She has a good pedigree so she can bounce out of (this run) and improve a bit.”

The Edmonds-McLean training partnership hold all the aces in the last, owing to the presence of up and comer Accelar.

“She ran well first-up and will improve a bit now,” Edmonds said.

“Being by Alabama Express, her pedigree suggests she should run 1200m to 1400m so we’re looking to have this run and then push out in distance.

“This more about giving her a bit of confidence, taking her there, so that’s what we’re hoping for.”

LUNA READY TO ECLIPSE HER RIVALS FIRST-UP AT WARREN

Angus Stewart can count himself unlucky not to have trained his first career winner with his first ever runner, Scopics, at Kensington last week but could easily get his tally started at ‘the Randwick of the West’.

The Bathurst-based Stewart makes the 600km round trip to Warren with his recent stable recruit Luna Flirt scheduled to make her NSW debut in the AFF Maiden Plate (1200m).

A daughter of Puissance De Lune, Luna Flirt has been beaten a cumulative total of 44 lengths in her three starts in Victoria but is the $5.50 TAB Fixed Odds second-elect on the strength of her recent trial.

“I bought her a few months ago and her form on paper looks pretty average,” Stewart said.

“I just put her out in the paddock for a while to let her fill out and furnish. She’s come back in and is so much stronger.

“I galloped her a couple of times and I was gobsmacked. I thought ‘this thing can actually gallop a little bit.’

“Then I put her in a trial and she trialled really well next to Scopics and he has come out and run really well at Kensington.

“The horse that finished behind Luna Flirt in the trial came out and won its first start in a race at Dubbo.”