Joint trainers’ premiership pacesetter Peter Snowden has named Shikra as the pick of his “bunch of chances” at today’s (Thursday) Hawkesbury race meeting.
Snowden certainly shapes as the trainer to follow with what appear to be first-class prospects in six of the eight races – and in two of those he has dual representatives. He is currently sharing the 2013-14 Hawkesbury premiership lead, on 10 wins, with Guy Walter and Gai Waterhouse.
Peter Snowden intends starting all eight acceptors and, discussing his runners, felt Shikra was the best of them in the Grange Growing Solutions Class 1 Handicap (1600m).
Kerrin McEvoy rides the three-year-old son of Street Cry, who shed his maiden status over 1500m at the Newcastle spring carnival last September before tackling feature assignments in the Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill and Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick; both won by stablemate Complacent. His trainer has made an important gear change, removing winkers from Shikra and putting blinkers back on him.
“He is fitter for two runs since resuming, and this looks to be the right race for him,” Snowden said. “I feel he is our best chance at the meeting.”
Snowden runs Drill (McEvoy) and Tiwishkeni in the Reelmen Australia 2YO Maiden Plate (1000m), and Meridian (McEvoy) and Lures (Christian Reith) in the J.K. Williams Maiden Handicap (1400m).
“Drill looks to have the edge on Tiwishkeni in the 2YO Maiden, particularly with a better draw,” Snowden said. “His chances have been helped by the withdrawal of Wilderness (David Hayes’ $2.4m Fastnet Rock youngster who instead will make his debut at Bendigo on Saturday).”
Drill, a son of Street Cry, was placed in a 900m Rosehill trial last October and is racing for the first time.
Tiwishkeni, an Exceed and Excel filly, ran last on debut behind stablemate and ruling Golden Slipper favorite Earthquake over 1000m at Randwick last November.
Snowden feels Meridian was advantaged by a slow track when runner-up at $31 to Glenbawn Dame in a 1200m Warwick Farm Maiden on February 19: “She is not going to get those conditions (on Thursday) unless the thunderstorms arrive,” he said.
“Lures is consistent but finding it hard to break through. She has been placed at four of her nine starts to date.”
Here is Snowden’s summation of his other Hawkesbury runners:-
• Castigate (David Dwyer Bookmaker Maiden Plate, 1000m): “Has been beaten at all three runs at the provincials this time in when favorite and been a little disappointing. But this doesn’t look the strongest race, so she gets another opportunity to break through.”
• Mifflin (Windsor Rotary Benchmark 60 Handicap, 1400m): “Won first-up at Wyong over 1350m in January and not far away at subsequent runs at Newcastle and Gosford. Looks to have a good chance here.”
• Tumult (Cook’s Plumbing Supplies CG&E Benchmark 65 Handicap, 1100m): “Nice win first-up at Wyong last month after beginning awkwardly. Lightly-raced three-year-old who has the rails alley and should run well again.”
Hawkesbury Race Club chief executive Brian Fletcher, who tipped five of the eight winners on top at the last meeting a fortnight ago, reckons Snowden has a terrific chance to win five races. He has named two of them – Castigate and Mifflin – amongst his three specials.
– Hawkesbury Race Club
