Trainer Peter Snowden is keen to back up two year old winner Champollion in the Sires Produce at Randwick next week after winning the Group 3 $125,000 The Schweppervescence (1400m) at Rosehill today.

Champollion takes out the The Schweppervescence at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Even though Champollion wasn’t a hundred percent comfortable on the slow track, the Exceed And Excel colt was able to finish too strongly for the opposition and score a tough win over Ideal Guide and Rightoncue.

Snowden has always held a high opinion of Champollion and now that he has broken through for a stakes win will test the colt against better company in next week’s Group 1 $500,000 ATC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.

And Snowden also thinks that the 1600m of the Group 1 $400,000 Champagne Stakes at Randwick on April 27 could also be on Champollion’s program.

“He has always shown good ability,” Snowden said.

“He’s a nice horse and I think up to a mile is the best for him.”

When asked if he would start him next week in the Sires, Snowden replied “Good chance now.”

Winning jockey Christian Reith said the two year old would be better once he got on top of the ground after slipping and dipping  in today’s soft going.

“We wanted to ride him a little closer today but I was under pressure early and he wasn’t really handing the track,” Reith said.

“I elected to bring him back a position and get him right up on the bridle, hopefully that will build his confidence. He was bolting on the corner. When he got through and I let him go he was dipping and diving.”

“He’ll be a lot better of top of the ground.”

Reith brought Champollion ($20) from well back in the field to score by neck from Ideal Guide ($20) with a further half a length to Rightoncue ($11).

The well backed favourite Fuerza ($4.80) was given the run of the race by Brenton Avdulla but failed to finish it off on the soft track.