Golden Rose 2013: Snowden Hoping Sidestep’s Luck Turns Around

Trainer Peter Snowden is hoping that talented colt Sidestep will receive a bit of luck when he contests the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Sidestep

Sidestep is chasing his second career victory in the Golden Rose at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart

The Golden Slipper runner-up started his 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign as one of the favourites for both the Golden Rose and the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) but has drifted in betting markets after receiving no luck in his two race starts so far this preparation.

Sidestep finished fourth in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on August 17, after he was blocked for a run in the final stages of the race, and he was checked on several occasions when he finished at the tail of the field in the Group 3 The Run To The Rose (1200m) a fortnight ago.

Snowden told Racing Ahead that he was happy with the condition of the son of the Exceed And Excel colt and believes he can be a contender if luck goes his way this weekend.

“The horse is fine he just needs a little bit of luck,” Snowden said.

“His work has been terrific; Tuesday morning was as good as he has ever worked.

“He has been spot on all the way through.

“I thought that he could win the San Domenico and he ran very well considering what happened to him.

“Second-up he got out spat at the back after he ran 250 metres, they just smashed him, and he had no chance to pick up again from there.

“It is a tough race with several legitimate hopes and a fair bit of speed inside and outside.

“I just hope that everybody gets a crack – it worth a lot of money, it is the first Group 1 and a stallion making race so there is a lot revolving around the winner.”

Snowden admitted that he considered giving Sidestep a break, after his disastrous The Run To The Rose performance, but said he wanted to give the colt the chance to prove himself rather than treat him as a ‘wimp’.

“I thought about stopping and giving him a chance to get over it but when you have a fair-dinkum contender they aren’t there to be sooked up,” the veteran trainer said.

“A race horse is there to race and tomorrow is a chance to put his hand up and show what he is made of.

“He has to man up and push through those gaps.”

Snowden plans to bring Sidestep to Melbourne for the remainder of the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival, if he performs well in the Golden Rose tomorrow, with the Caulfield Guineas and the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) both on the agenda.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.