3 minute read

It seems it’s been one blow after another for connections of Mazu but co-trainer Peter Snowden remains confident the gelding can run above expectations in Saturday’s $20m TAB Everest (1200m) at Randwick.

Last year's Everest third placegetter, who was secured on a two-year slot deal by The Star and Arrowfield, has endured a less than ideal preparation in 2023.

He drew wide first-up in The Shorts, endured a tough run and while he ran slick sectionals only beat three home. He then drew ideally in the Premiere Stakes only to be scratched when he came out of his box slightly lame on race day.

The Snowden stable then had to compensate with a barrier trial only to arrive at the TAB Everest draw and watch barrier 11, the same gate he drew last year, projected on Sydney Harbour.

"If he drew 1-4 I'd say he would be right in the race but 11 makes the job hard,'' Peter Snowden said.

"I think we are back on track as far as fitness goes. He worked great on Tuesday morning.

"I won't be surprised to see him storming home and running great sectionals and running in the first half. I'd be happy with that.

"I know this is the grand final but it's not going to happen for him unless he gets the luck."

Of course Peter and Paul Snowden trained the winner of the first two TAB Everests, the front-running star Redzel.

His second win wasn't without its setbacks either but his didn't come quite as close to the race as what happened with Mazu in his box leading into the Premiere Stakes.

Snowden said the best option for the five-year-old, the $51 outsider with TAB on Wednesday, is to be ridden for luck with most expecting Overpass to find the lead and perhaps dictate a la Redzel.

"Look at the make up of the race and there's one leader, there's a lot of horses that depend on speed and how the race is run,'' he said.

"When Redzel won his second one there was no leader in the race, he got his own way in front. He had it won before he went to the gates.

"We'd have loved to draw a good gate and be right on the back of the speed and give ourselves every chance. Now we only have one option to go back and ride for luck.

"We hope a few others are thinking what we are thinking and put a bit of pressure on.

"There's probably only three lengths between them, they are all quality sprinters so pace is a big factor in the race."

All is not lost for Mazu this preparation, the Everest will only be his second start for the spring so he'll progress to a couple more big money races next month.

Last year Mazu was runner-up in the $3m Nature Strip Stakes (1300m) to Private Eye, this year's edition is named after Giga Kick and run on November 4, and it appears the $1m The Hunter at Newcastle is also on the radar.

"He's got the Giga Kick to look forward to and the Hunter, if he misses out on Saturday I'm sure he will make up for it in his next two starts,'' he said.

"I know he's going to be there somewhere but I would feel a lot more confident if he drew better."

Doomben Cup winner Huetor makes his return in the Group 1 $5m King Charles III Stakes (1600m) in preference to the Toorak Handicap.

Snowden said the seven-year-old has come back in good order and while he expects the mile at that level could be a bit sharp he expects a solid first-up performance.

"I want to run him in the Craven Plate in two weeks so I didn't want to travel him down and back,'' he said.