Mike Moroney chasing second Standish Handicap with Snapper at Flemington on Saturday
Getting back to a proven level could help Snapper bounce back from a poor spring with a second successive Standish Handicap win at Flemington on Saturday.
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Mike Moroney will tackle Saturday’s Group 3 Standish Handicap from a different angle with last year’s winner Snapper.
Snapper led throughout to win the Flemington feature sprint last year midway through a lengthy campaign that started in the spring and continued to the Newmarket Handicap.
This year, Snapper will run in the $250,000 event first-up.
Snapper finished fourth over 1000m in the Listed Carlyon Stakes at The Valley first-up last time in but lost form in the spring when struggling in two Group 2 races before a spell.
However, Snapper has shown signs he could get back to his best form with two solid jumpout wins at Flemington last month.
Moroney said Snapper did not have a long break after his last run, which should leave the New Zealand-bred speedster fit enough for the 1200m assignment first-up.
“He seems good,” Moroney said.
“He’s done a little bit of fast work and he’s going well.
“We’re trying to get him as fit as we can for the 1200m first-up but he’s only coming off a pretty short break because these races come up very quick.”
Snapper is one of 12 entries for the Standish Handicap for which the nomination deadline was extended until 10am on Tuesday.
The Astrologist is the highest-rated entry on 106 ahead of the Sydney speedster Malkovich on 100.
Adelaide trainers Shane and Cassie Oxlade have entered the Listed Christmas Handicap winner Sghirripa while Recommendation will represent the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace camp.
TAB installed Recommendation as the $3 favourite in its early ‘all-in’ Standish Handicap market ahead of Sghirripa at $3.50.
Honest sprinter Curran is a $7 chance while Snapper and Malkovich share the fourth line of betting at $8.
Originally published as Mike Moroney chasing second Standish Handicap with Snapper at Flemington on Saturday
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