Team Snowden’s head trainer Peter Snowden is confident that his stable sprinting star Redzel can bounce back to his best in the Group 1 $2.5m T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Day One Of The Championships on April 6 after suffering his worst defeat at Rosehill last Saturday.
Team Snowden is confident that Redzel, above, can bounce back to his best in the 2019 T J Smith Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Redzel was beaten six and a half lengths when eighth to Nature Strip in the Group 1 $700,000 OOH!Media Galaxy (1100m), but Snowden said the six year old had plenty of legitimate excuses for the out of character performance.
The fact that Redzel had to carry the top weight of 59.5kg on a very heavy track contributed to him being unable to recover from a skirmish at the 600m mark when crowded for room and lost some valuable ground.
“Redzel got a bit of a bump and lost two lengths and never recovered,” Snowden said.
“It’s pretty hard to pick up with such a big weight on your back and to try to get going again.
“Having the weight he had was like carrying 70kg on that heavy Rosehill track.
“The TJ is a different race in a fortnight.
“The horse is fine it will be a different race in a fortnight at the weights.”
The Galaxy was run under handicap conditions but the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Redzel will be better suited under the weight for age conditions for the T J Smith Stakes.
Redzel finished second to Trapeze Artist in last year’s T J Smith Stakes but the Randwick 1200m course has been the scene of his greatest victories with back to back wins in The Everest in 2017 ($10 million) and 2018 ($13 milllion).
Redzel’s Galaxy defeat has seen his T J Smith Stakes price drift at Ladbrokes.com.au from $7 to $9 alongside of William Reid Stakes winner Sunlight with the James Cummings trained Osborne Bulls and last year’s winner Trapeze Artist sharing favouritism at $6 ahead of Pierata at $7.50.
Early betting for the T J Smith Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $6 Osborne Bulls, Trapeze Artist, $7.50 Pierata, $9 Redzel, Sunlight, $10 Santa Ana Lane,, $13 In Her Time, Nature Strip, $15 Graff, Shoals, $21 Brutal, Spright, $26 Booker, Easy Eddie, Encryption, Zousain, $31 Estijaab, Le Romain, Written By, $34 or better the rest.
