Team Snowden on the hunt for stakes double at Eagle Farm

PETER and Paul Snowden have a formidable record in Queensland and the stable believes they have the right horses to build on it at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

PETER and Paul Snowden have a formidable record in Queensland and the stable believes they have the right horses to build on it at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Ravi is set to start a short-priced favourite in the Just Now, while Gibraltar Girl is among the top fancies for the rescheduled Mode Plate.

Unlike many runners on Saturday, the pair are not eligible for next month’s Magic Millions and they have been specifically set to secure the important black type on offer at Eagle Farm.

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“It looks perfect timing for both of them,” Paul Snowden said. “They are in extremely good condition. With that black type, we would have been mad not to have a crack.’’

Gibraltar Girl failed twice on wet tracks at the start of her career, but Snowden believes that may be “a false reading’’.

“I don’t think you should read too much into those two runs,” he said. “Back then she wanted to just jump and run. The whole plan this time in has been to get her to settle and finish off and that’s what she’s doing now.’’

Ravi will chase some black type at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Picture: Mark Evans

The Snowdens have won 17 races from 77 Queensland runners (22 per cent) since teaming up, with those runners showing a 38 per cent profit on turnover at level staking. From 20 favourites, 11 (55 per cent) have won.

The pair are hoping to have “at least a dozen” runners on Magic Millions day chasing the big money on the Gold Coast.

“We won’t be on our own,” Snowden said. “There’s a lot of other stables down here lining up to have a crack at the pot of gold so to speak.

“They are going to be strong races there this year. Normally the good ones wait for the Sydney autumn, but with so much money on offer now, you will see a higher quality of horse.’’

The Snowdens won last year’s 2YO Classic with Capitalist and Paul said they were hoping to qualify three or four youngsters again this season.

“There’s two sets of trials in the next couple of weeks that will really shape our thinking,” he said. “They will have to trial and race well to go up. We’re not just going to take them for the sake of it.’’

Invader and Opulentus, fourth and fifth in this year’s Breeders’ Plate, are among those being assessed as potential MM candidates.

Peter Snowden and son Paul plan to have a strong team on Magic Millions day next month. Picture: Jenny Evans

Wide draw a worry for Ross

AFTER feeling River Racer would be underdone first up, Les Ross has issued another caution, fearing her wide draw will make her task too tough in the Mode Stakes on Saturday.

River Racer should have finished a touch closer when a strong finishing second to Tiyatrolani at Eagle Farm last month.

“I was shocked with how well she ran first up,” Ross said. “I was certain she would need that run. Now having missed last week she might need this run again, too. I would say she’s about 85 per cent now. Everything is geared towards having her right for the Magic Millions Guineas.

“From the alley (Saturday) I just worry that she’s going to have to get too far back. She will drop out now. Hopefully she can come home quick enough.”

With the Mode being put back a week, Ross intends to miss next week’s Gold Edition Plate and wait for the Vo Rogue Plate on December 31 for River Racer’s final MM lead-up.

Ross said he expects Friendly Dragon to “run a cheeky race” again having raced well twice since winning at cricket score odds three starts back.

John Meagher said fellow fancied Mode runner Savanna Amour would “run in the first three for sure” if the rain doesn’t severely deteriorate the state of the track.

Less Ross is wary of a wide barrier with River Racer on Saturday. Picture: Natasha Wood

“If she’d drawn an alley I would be a lot more confident. By that stage we will be able to see where the best part of the track is, but I would say she will be in the first six or seven. I just don’t want her to get stuck four wide.

“I’ve got no doubts she’s a good filly and I’m sure she’s going to be effective in Melbourne.”

Chris Anderson is on weather watch with his seemingly strong Eagle Farm team.

The emerging trainer indicated last-start stakes winner Elegant Compusure would be in “grave doubt” of running if the track came up in the Heavy 9-10 range. He also indicated impressive last-start winner Subsolar was an unlikely runner on wet ground.

“I’m happy to see Elegant Composure run on the soft, she won on a Soft 6 last time, but I don’t want it to be much worse than that,” Anderson said.

“So I just have to play it by ear. If we are lucky enough to escape without too much more rain, I think today’s race is a really good measuring stick for us. She has the 58kg, but I don’t think she’s harshly treated in relation to others and if she runs well again — which I expect her to if the track is OK — it’s pretty positive for us going into the future.”

Anderson is keen on the chances of Mishani Bullitt and also Mystic Opal.

“Mystic Opal was kind of thrown in the deep end last prep and she went okay. I think she’s come back better. She blitzed them first up and even though this is a lot harder, I couldn’t be happier with the way she’s going.”

â–  RACING Queensland CEO Eliot Forbes has added to the Tasmanian flavour on his executive team with the appointment of Simon Stout to the Position of General Manager of Racing.

Stout’s most recent role has been as TasRacing’s Thoroughbred Code Development Manager.

Stout’s previous credits also include a stint as Senior Manager/Assistant Trainer at Hudson Conway Racing for Lloyd Williams.

Other appointments announced by Forbes this week were Justine Henwood (Chief Financial Officer), Adam Coward (General Manager, Sales and Marketing) and Paul McDonnell (General Manager Infrastructure).

“The collective experience and qualifications of the successful applicants will significantly complement and enhance the existing Racing Queensland team,” Forbes said.

â–  QUEENSLAND’S highest-ranking harness racing steward David Farquson has been suspended until further notice by Queensland Racing integrity commissioner Ross Barnett.

Barnett gave no details for the suspension, other than to say it followed “an investigation into a matter reported by a participant in the racing industry’’.

Originally published as Team Snowden on the hunt for stakes double at Eagle Farm