Everything is on the table with in-form import Unspoken if he continues on his winning way in Saturday’s $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill.
Trainer Peter Snowden (Pic: Steve Hart)
With three wins on end this preparation, the Peter and Paul Snowden trained galloper faces his toughest test but one that could earn him a tilt at a Doncaster exemption next month.
Peter Snowden said it’s clear the five-year-old hasn’t reached his ceiling yet and he gets into the race with the confidence up and the chance to prove himself at a higher level.
“We’ve always had this race in mind, if he happened to win we’d think a bit harder about where we go with him,’’ Snowden said.
“But he keeps getting better that’s for sure.
“His last win was dominant, he had no weight on his back but he’s not too badly weighted with 56kg.”
The Five Diamonds is only Unspoken’s fourth run back this spring so Snowden said if he measures up he could get into the Group 2 $2 million The Ingham (1600m) on December 9 and chase the free ticket into the Doncaster Mile.
He’s come a long way since he made his Australian debut back in March, not only in the 20-plus ratings points he’s picked up but in the versatility he’s showing in his second local prep.
That was on show when Unspoken, $11 with TAB on Thursday, led all the way to win the Filante Handicap (1600m) three weeks ago.
“That’s the first time he’s ever led,’’ Snowden said.
“He’s been showing more pace in his races this time compared to last time, he was always getting back and getting a long way back with too much to do.
“Now he’s able to be up in the first half of the field it’s making his job a lot easier.
“We always thought a fair bit of him, he’d only had a few starts and was only a benchmark 72 horse when we got him.
“We were able to get him over here at a low level but he’s building his way up quickly. He’s so versatile, wet or dry it’s a double tick that he can handle any sort of track.”
Snowden is expecting Snitzel colt Volatile to shake off a luckless debut when he tackles the $1 million Golden Gift (1100m).
He started a $5 chance in the Breeders’ Plate (1000m) back on September 30 and at no stage had a clear shot in the straight, finishing 3.5 lengths from the winner Espionage.
“He began okay and James (McDonald) gave him a bit of a dig and he took off, got up onto heels,’’ he said.
“He got pushed back onto the fence and it was just a messy race all the way through. Hopefully we can get a trouble free run and see what he can do.”
The decision to scratch Miss Hellfire from Rosehill last week has so far proven the right move as she’s come up with the inside alley for her resumption in the TAB Handicap (1100m).
Miss Hellfire had 60kg and the outside gate so Snowden elected to gamble on a more favourable scenario this week to take advantage of the mare’s effectiveness off a break.
While the stats say she’s yet to win first-up she’s never run poorly fresh, is coming off a pleasing trial and with Jett Stanley’s claim she’ll carry 57kg.
“It looked like it was going to be a leader’s track and this race was coming up, we ran the gauntlet and came up with a good gate,’’ he said.
“She’s good fresh and that’s why we thought we’d save her. It’s a nice race for her on paper.”
– Racing NSW
