Queensland Oaks: Wide draw would be a bonus for Falkenberg, says trainer Paul Snowden

IT’S not often a trainer hopes for a wide gate in a Group 1 race but that’s what Paul Snowden wants for equal Queensland Oaks favourite Falkenberg.

Trainer Paul Snowden would be happy if Falkenberg draws wide in the Queensland Oaks. Picture: Jenny Evans

IT’S not often a trainer hopes for a wide gate in a Group 1 race but that’s exactly what Paul Snowden wants for equal Queensland Oaks favourite Falkenberg when the barrier draw is conducted on Wednesday.

You could make a case to say Falkenberg could have won her past two starts if she had jumped cleanly from the gates.

She was tardy away before flashing home to grab fourth in the Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) and then finished a close seventh in the Doomben Roses (2000m) after missing the start by several lengths when she got her off-hind leg caught on the barrier partition prior to the start.

Snowden admits Falkenberg’s barrier manners are a concern heading into the Oaks at Eagle Farm but he is confident the mishap at Doomben won’t be repeated this Saturday.

“She was just in there a while at the Gold Coast and was kicking out but it was nothing like the other day and that was a one-off thing and she has never done that before,” Snowden said.

“We just have to make sure we have the horse right on the day and (jockey) Blake Shinn will be aware of it and we will have a man up there with her.

“But I would rather draw barrier 18 with Falkenberg because she will be in there less time and she hasn’t seen the outside of any other runner for the last two starts.

“Her last two runs have been like barrier trials.”

The Snowdens will saddle up three runners in the Oaks with Falkenberg ($6.50) to be joined by Self Esteem ($13) and Tap This ($21).

Snowden warned punters not to underestimate Self Esteem, who ran fourth in the Doomben Roses and was beaten just 3.5 lengths in the Australian Oaks (2400m) in Sydney in April.

Falkenberg will have to be on her best behaviour in the barriers on Saturday. Picture: Adam Taylor

“Self Esteem is as tough as nails and she has got a very tenacious attitude,” Snowden said. “There is a query about most of them at the 2400m and she is one of the only ones that has run it. She went a bit keen in the Australian Oaks but showed she could stay and I think she could have been a lot more competitive if she was rated better that day.

“She is not out of it, especially if we get a bit of rain and she is one that has performed on wet tracks before.”

Snowden concedes Tap This is the stable’s third stringer but said she deserved her chance after winning a Benchmark 80 Handicap (2200m) at the Gold Coast last Saturday.

Most southern horses thrive when they come to Queensland and Sydney-based Snowden said these three fillies were no exception.

“I left them a few weeks ago on the Gold Coast and I came up here last week and they are a different set of horses I’m looking at now,” he said.

Originally published as Queensland Oaks: Wide draw would be a bonus for Falkenberg, says trainer Paul Snowden