3 minute read
Sectionally brilliant lead up efforts have co-trainer Paul Snowden confident both Miss Hellfire and Touristic are ready to be major players in their respective races at Kembla Grange on Saturday.
While the Peter and Paul Snowden stable's focus in the features is Cannonball tackling The Warra that sprinter's appearance is weather dependant.
Miss Hellfire will be second-up in the PFD Food Services Handicap (1200m) after a return third in a five horse field two weeks ago that Snowden said was so much better than what it appeared to the eye.
She clocked a sizzling 32.41 for her final 600m (Punter's Intelligence) over 1100m at Rosehill in a race that changed shape with a couple of late scratchings at the gates.
"She ran the quickest 600m of the whole day so it was more than a pass mark,'' Snowden said.
"She ran as well as she could considering that. They didn't go hard, and they really ramped it up form the 600m onwards.
"She was the only one that was pulling ground off the winner so I knew her splits were going to be good."
The mare, $7 with TAB on Thursday, has never won first-up so will take natural improvement into the race and Snowden said with any luck in running she's there to be right in the finish.
"Ideally I'd like to come in a couple of pegs, I think nine is a bit sticky for her because she's a go forward, lay up, type of runner,'' he said.
"I'd like to be in five or six but we'll see what happens."
Touristic arrives at the Canadian Club Handicap (2000m) third-up after what Snowden said was a pleasing second at the same Rosehill meeting.
He conceded 6.5kg to the winner Rise To It and still ran a race best 34.48 for his last 600m.
The gelding will again be giving away weight to his rivals but Snowden said the step up to a more suitable trip could easily offset that.
"He's very genuine and carries weight well,'' he said.
"He's a big strong horse and the step up to 2000m is vital. It was a game effort the other day. I know he has to carry 61kg but if he's good enough he'll win."
Cannonball hasn't had the best of fortune since he ran third in the Group 1 Galaxy back in March, with his mishap in the gates at Royal Ascot, but Snowden said a dry track is the key to him running well in the $300,000 The Warra (1000m).
He said there were excuses for the entire's first-up performance down the straight at Flemington but warned if the track reaches a soft 6 he'll likely be saved for a race next weekend.
"A dry track is the key to him so hopefully we dodge the rain,'' he said.
"At Flemington I'd suggest the edge was off it, it says a soft 5 in the formguide but it was more like a 7 which indicates where the horse is on that surface.
"He was going terrific before he went to Melbourne and it confirms that rating might have been worse than what it was."
Snowden expects Cannonball to be handy in the run in a race that's expected to be genuinely run.
"He doesn't have to lead, he can lay up in a stalking role or he can lead. I probably would suggest he might be running third or fourth,'' he said.
Meanwhile, Snowden said Tazaral may not take his place alongside stablemate Substantial in the Traffic Logistics Handicap (1600m) as the stable weighs up saving him for the Group 3 Festival Stakes next week.
"I think if we're going to split them up Tazaral will be better suited next week over the 1500m whereas Substantial is looking for a mile,'' he said.
"(Substantial's) runs have been good, first-up he competed in a race where there were two late scratchings and all the speed came out of it.
"He went a long way back from a bad draw at Flemington and I thought he ran well. It's just a matter of him getting the right run on the day."
