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Trainer Peter Snowden will leave Rosehill on Saturday bitterly disappointed if promising import Touristic doesn’t run up to his high expectations in the Rosehill Bowling Club Handicap (2000m).
The son of Frankel, who only turns four by birthdate on February 7, has raced twice for the Snowden stable and while his second-up fifth at Randwick on Christmas Eve caught the eye of sectional watchers, the trainer himself had set a higher mark.
After not showing the early pace expected, Touristic settled last in the 1800m race but rattled off the race's fastest last 600m of 34.67 (Punter's Intelligence) as he finished on the heels of the placegetters.
"We bought him for a reason, he had good form overseas and is a well related horse,'' Snowden said.
"I was a little disappointed with him second-up, his first up run was very good. He got a bit further back than I thought, he made good ground but getting that far back spoiled his chance of running better.
"He just got a mile back, he was probably spotting them 20 lengths and he had a lot of work to do but his sectionals were great."
There's been good support since TAB markets opened about Touristic and he was into $5 favourite on Thursday.
With a favourable barrier in the capacity field, Snowden said jockey Kerrin Mcevoy should be able to take some advantage and it's fair to say he's expected to be in the finish.
"Hopefully over 2000m third up he can take up more of a handy spot,'' he said.
"His work has been fantastic and he's the best he's looked since we've had him. I'm really happy with him."
Consistent mare Forzanini wasn't herself in two runs in July but Snowden is confident she's over a bone jarring issue that saw her campaign cut short in the winter.
She returns in the Furphy Handicap (1100m) with a couple of trials under her belt and is expected to improve on whatever she produces.
"She has a big weight and just may need the run but she's a good filly when right and no doubt she'll make her presence felt through the preparation,'' he said.
"There's some good races coming up for her in the next two or three months so hopefully we can get some black type with her."
Forzanini's last win was in the corresponding race last year where she carried 4kg less and scored by a length in her fourth run for that prep.
Snowden said he has a lot of time for both two-year-olds set to debut in the Ned Australian Whisky Handicap (1100m).
Both Figment and Queen Of Dragons have had two trials leading in with the latter, who was scheduled to debut last Friday night, mixing it with the likes of Empire Of Japan and Fire Lane in her hitouts.
"Figment is a nice filly, a sharp filly, and trialled well on both occasions. She'll be running well,'' he said.
"I would have loved to run Queen Of Dragons the other night at Canterbury but I didn't want to run her on a heavy track first-up. Her trials have been good and I've liked her from day one."
Meanwhile, Everest third placegetter Mazu is a few weeks away from trialling ahead of his autumn campaign.
While he was winless in the spring it was a lucrative campaign for the four-year-old who earned over $4.5 million through placings in the Premiere, Everest and Nature Strip Stakes which saw him take out the Sportsbet Sydney Sprint Series Bonus.
"It was a good grounding at a good level, he didn't shirk the task in any race,'' Snowden said.
"It would have been good to win one, although beaten there was merit in every run."
Of course Mazu already has a TAB Everest slot for 2023 as part of a two-year deal with The Star & Arrowfield.
