Team Snowden, James Harron and Blake Shinn combined to win the 2016 Golden Slipper last weekend and they joined forces once again to take out the 2016 The Schweppervescence at Rosehill Gardens this afternoon.
Attention scored his maiden race win in The Schweppervescence at Rosehill Gardens this afternoon. Photo by: Steve Hart
Attention was settled at the tail of the field in the Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 12, but Shinn elected to ride the son of Stratum far more aggressively in the early stages of The Schweppervescence and settled him just behind the leader Crafty Cop in the early stages of the race.
Crafty Cop gave a kick at the top of the straight, but Attention was able to grind him down in the final stages of the race to record his maiden race win.
Shinn was pleased with the toughness that Attention showed in the final stages of the race and he believes that the two-year-old could head towards a race like the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) or head to Brisbane for their Winter Carnival
“It is great to win another stakes race for the team,” Shinn said.
“We had to work hard early, but he settled beautifully and I came back off Tommy to give him a little breather midrace.
“I had to dig in deep from the 300, but he showed the qualities of a nice horse going forward.
“He has a good head on his shoulders and he is a horse going places.
“They have some good options going forward.
“There are obviously Group 1 races coming up and the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
“It will be interesting to see where Peter and Paul place him.”
Co-trainer Paul Snowden confirmed that the play was always to ride Attention more aggressively in the early stages of The Schweppervescence.
Team Snowden is yet to confirm where they will head with Attention and Paul Snowden admits that they are still unsure about the level that the two-year-old can get to.
“He probably hasn’t stamped himself as a horse that has the flashing lights on him or anything and that is why we wanted to put him into the race,” Snowden said.
“He has been getting pulled out of the race, but today Blake was aggressive on him, put him up on speed and he is one of those horses that keeps giving under pressure.
“You don’t know his level and he keeps fighting.”
Prized Icon produced another consistent performance to finish second, while Crafty Cop was able to hang on for third after tiring in the last 100 metres.
