Randwick-Kensington preview: Peter Snowden confident long-range plan can pay off for Mad Deel

Two solid runs back from a spell, a step up in distance and a perfect barrier draw have a Peter Snowden-trained gelding ready to bounce back to winning form.

Mad Deel can make the most of a “perfect barrier” at Kensington on Wednesday. Picture: Bradley Photos

The step up to a suitable trip and a win third-up previously has trainer Peter Snowden quietly confident Mad Deel can defy his double-figure odds and claim a third career win.

Mad Deel chased home the emerging Yorkshire when resuming from a spell over 1300m on the Kensington before finishing runner-up behind all-the-way winner Flying Destiny over 1250m at Canterbury two weeks ago.

The son of Dundeel steps up in distance to 1400m in the Shinzo At Coolmore Handicap which he will find much more suitable.

“He had a good crack first-up and sprinted really hard,” Snowden said.

“He looked like he was going to challenge (the winner) there for a while. I thought his effort was good.

“He backed it up with another good run again over probably a little bit too short a distance when he went from 1300m back to 1250m at Canterbury.

“He still ran a good second and it has got him ready for this race. It is one we have been looking at for quite a while thinking we should have him just right by then and I’m confident we have.”

The four-year-old looks to get a perfect run from barrier 1 and he was a winner third-up last preparation.

“It would be great if he can win again,” Snowden said.

“He should get a lovely run from there. It’s a perfect barrier.”

Snowden is looking forward to the debut of California Bay in the opening race, the Anamoe At Darley Handicap (1300m).

Another son of Dundeel, this gelding is a grandson of former smart sprinter Legally Bay with his dam. Zara Bay and full sister to Merchant Navy and Jolie Bay, the dam of exciting mare Joliestar.

“When he first came into the yard, I was quite pleased because I know the family well. They can all gallop and all show potential,” Snowden said.

“This guy is no different. He has got talent.”

The three-year-old was good when runner-up to Hurstville Zagreb in his first trial at Randwick on August 19 before running down Chiba to win his second there 11 days later.

“He has been a bit raw and still is but his two trials have been excellent and his work since has been good,” he said.

“He is starting to learn to pop his head down and relax a bit. He was in a bit of a hurry there for a while but no he is starting to relax more in his work and as I said, that last trial was very good.

“He’s got a bit of gate speed too so he will take advantage of that and be in the first four comfortably.

“He gets a chance to run well first-up.”

Snowden will decide if Mafia starts from his wide gate while Fire Star will definitely go around in The Agency Real Estate Handicap (1000m).

Fire Star has placed second in both runs this preparation and was beaten a nose by Reigning King after taking a sit at Wyong last start.

“Both runs this time in have been OK. I thought his second one was better than his first; he showed a bit more grit,” he said.

“It was head up, head down the other day. The next stride he was in front. It was just one of those finishes where he was out of sync.

“He showed a bit of tenacity. He fought on and that’s what I wanted to see.

“He was better being ridden with a sit and if he can show the same again this week, he’s in with a chance.”

Blinkers to switch on Agita

Trainer David Payne believes staying at 1800m is ideal for his lightly raced stayer Agita third-up but he has made a gear change to help deliver another win.

A son of Cox Plate winner Adelaide, Agita returned from a winter campaign where he was fifth to Warmonger in the Queensland Derby in June with a fourth behind Yorkshire over 1400m at Warwick Farm on August 21.

There shouldn’t be any excuses for Agita, says trainer David Payne. Picture: Bradley Photos

He then stepped up to 1800m in a Midway at Rosehill 10 days later when coming from well back to finish fourth behind Promitto.

“I suppose he still needed the run at Rosehill last start but he doesn’t concentrate so we have put a set of blinkers on now. They will switch him on a bit better,” Payne said.

“Ideally something in between would have been nice but there wasn’t much around to do that.

“It was still a handy effort and he was only beaten a length. It wasn’t a bad run.

“He should be right at his peak now.

“There shouldn’t be any excuses this week.”

The gelding has drawn barrier one in the TAB Handicap (1800m) with Adam Hyeronimus to ride.

Payne feels Agita can make use of the good gate and settle closer in the run, leaving him with less work to do in the later stages.

“Adam has ridden him before. In fact, he rode him at his first start when they finished third so he knows the horse,” he said.

“He’s a strong rider to help get him out and into a good spot and barrier one helps too.”

Payne’s other runner for the day is Triple Triple who makes his race debut in the Marcellin College Randwick Handicap (1550m).

The three-year-old son of Justify pleased Payne with his two barrier trials but he expects the gelding so take improvement from the experience.

“He’s a nice type and horse and he will be a bit green this week being his first start but I think he will run a good race,” he said.

“He’s really bred to get 2000m in time but the 1550m is a nice starting point for him.

“We will go forward on him from barrier one; he’ll be up on the speed.

“He’s a nice, big striding horse and we can assess him after this to see where we go.”

Originally published as Randwick-Kensington preview: Peter Snowden confident long-range plan can pay off for Mad Deel