New Jockey For Shooting To Win In Hobartville Stakes

Co-trainer Paul Snowden has confirmed that Shooting To Win will have a new jockey when he returns to racing in the 2015 Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on February 21.

James McDonald will not ride Shooting To Win for Team Snowden during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

James McDonald will not ride Shooting To Win for Team Snowden during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Shooting To Win was ridden by James McDonald when he scored an upset win over Rich Enuff in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 11 and the leading hoop was expected to stick with the Northern Meteor colt in the spring, but his new arrangement with Godolphin means that he is not able to ride the three-year-old in either the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens or the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) on March 7.

Snowden told Racing Ahead that a decision has not yet been made about who will ride Shooting To Win in the autumn, but be believes that either Blake Shinn, Kerrin McEvoy or Hugh Bowman will be awarded the plumb ride.

“Unfortunately through circumstances with Godolphin he is not going to be able to fulfill his engagements with him,” Snowden said.

“I daresay that we haven’t locked anybody in yet, but he will have a new rider.

“Blake is going to trial him on Monday and he won on him in his first start, Kerrin McEvoy trialed him in his first start and Hughie is in the mix there because he does a fair bit of work for us as well.

“I would imagine that it would come down to one of those three.”

John Hawkes revealed yesterday that he was disappointed with the way that McDonald had not personally informed him that he would no longer be the regular hoop for the Team Hawkes stable and Snowden also expressed frustrations with McDonald in the past week.

Snowden said that he had no problem with McDonald electing not to partner Shooting To Win during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, but said that he just wanted to be kept in the loop so that the stable could move on and find a replacement jockey.

“Up until last Saturday when he did gallop the horse he was keen to stay with the horse and he was going to ride him in his first two runs and then the last couple of days unfolded and you just ready it on social media and in the press,” Snowden said.

“We have spoken to both parties, but like anybody we want to be told what is going on.

“If he can’t ride it so be it, we move on and so does he, but just to be kept in the dark and not being told a lot.

“It is not fair to the owners because we are trying to get the best riders available.

“I know that it is hard because trainers are wanting them to lock in and be available for horses and James is very lucky that he has the pick of a really good bunch of horses that he rode last time.

“His circumstances have changed and we will just have to deal with it and move on.”

Blake Shinn will partner Shooting To Win when he takes on the likes of Golden Rose Stakes winner Hallowed Crown, Gai Waterhouse-trained Nayeli and Godolphin filly Shaumari in a barrier trial over 1000 metres on the course proper at Royal Randwick on Monday.

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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.