Snowden family aim for first joint Ramornie success

TWO-TIME Ramornie Handicap winning trainer Peter Snowden is back in Grafton to contest the premier sprint again, this time with son Paul.

Trainer Peter Snowden will be aiming to create a family legacy at the Grafton racetrack as he and son Paul look to win their first Ramornie Handicap as a joint outfit. Picture: JULIAN SMITH

RACING: A plan set in motion two months ago by father and son training partnership, Peter and Paul Sowden, is gaining momentum heading into next week's $160,000 Crowe Horwath Ramornie Handicap (1200m).

It was then that the pair, who have taken the racing world by storm since setting up their own stable in May 2014, identified five-year-old sprinter El Sasso as a likely Ramornie candidate.

Identifying horses as potential big race winners has always been a trademark of Scone raised Peter Snowden, the former head trainer of Darley (now Godolphin). Meticulous attention to detail and a hands on approach has also been part and parcel of the Snowden regime.

Snowden has won the Ramornie twice with Pinwheel (2010) and Jerezana (2011) during his tenure with Sheikh Mohammed's Darley operation.

But a win with son Paul would bring a great deal of pride to Snowden.

He knows what it takes to win a Ramornie, the Clarence River Jockey Club's premier sprint of the July Racing Carnival that attracts quality horses from all parts of NSW, Victoria , Queensland and often New Zealanders.

"No matter what year it's never an easy race to win," Snowden said with conviction. "You've got to have the right horse and got to have some luck.

"We planned the Ramornie for El Sasso two months back. He had to come through his first up run well to progress and he's done that. It was all dependent on last Saturday."

Having his first run for 13 weeks, the Snitzel gelding steamed home to win a Benchmark 90 event at Randwick on July 2 by a widening 2.3 lengths.

"He won really well," Snowden said. "He normally does just enough to get there but he was impressive coming right away from them. He's a nice horse.

"There's plenty of room for improvement in him. He's pulled up good and we're on target at this stage."

Improvement is the key word. Snowden has an innate ability to get horses to peak in the right races. It's a training art that is akin to a rare breed of horseman.

Snowden had hoped gun Brisbane rider Damien Browne would be able to ride the gelding but as it's looking early, El Sasso may get in near the limit weight which would rule Browne out of calculations.

Nominations close for the Ramornie (July 13) and Grafton Cup (July 14) on Thursday.

As of Tuesday nine horses - Apple Thief (Bryan Guy), 2014 winner Big Money (Rod Northam), locals Blackboard Special (Wayne Lawson) and Hotel Drive (Scott Henley), Crossroad (Paddy Cunningham), Lightning Handicap winner Executed (Krystle Johnston), Tim Martin's Moral Victory, Prince Mayted (Colt Prosser) and Slots (Grant Marshall) were nominated for the Listed event.

Originally published as Snowden family aim for first joint Ramornie success