Hot Snitzel has failed to fire since returning to the races in October but trainer Gerald Ryan is hopeful that the five-year-old can turn around his form in the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Hot Snitzel will wear blinkers when he contests the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart
Hot Snitzel started his 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a disappointing ninth place finish behind Complicate in the Listed Heading Out Hair & Beauty Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday and finished tenth behind Fontelina in the Group 2 Yellowglen Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day.
Ryan admitted that he was disappointed with the Snitzel gelding’s effort in the Yellowglen Stakes a fortnight and is hoping that the reapplication of blinkers can help the five-year-old find his best form in the race that has always been his major 2013 Spring Racing Carnival target.
“I was disappointed with his last run and the way the he pulled up; I don’t think that he gave 110% percent,” Ryan told Racing Ahead.
“He seems to have come on since then and his work has been better.
“A couple of runs with blinkers on seem to have picked him up a bit.
“We set him for this race at the beginning of the spring, I didn’t think that it would come up as strong as it has, but it doesn’t matter, we will have a crack.”
There has been plenty of wet weather in Melbourne this week and the Caulfield track is expected to be somewhere in the slow range for the ten-race card tomorrow, which Ryan believes increases the winning chances of Hot Snitzel who won the Group 3 Sebring Stakes (1200m), Listed Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) and Listed Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m) on tracks with a bit of give.
“He has good form on slow tracks; he has had four starts on slow tracks for three wins but on heavy tracks he is not so crash hot,” Ryan said.
“The way that the track may play tomorrow should help him.”
Ryan has not decided on his future plans for Hot Snitzel but said that he could return to Sydney for races like the Starlight Stakes (1100m) and Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m) – depending how he performs in the Kevin Heffernan Stakes at Caulfield tomorrow.
“He is booked on the float to come home and I don’t know he has stays up in Sydney,” Ryan said.
“There are a couple of races coming up in Sydney at the end of the month and early next month.
“This is only his third run back from a spell tomorrow but he can be a tough horse to place because of his rating and the races he has won.
“We will play it by ear and see how we get on tomorrow.”
Ryan is chasing his first victory at Group level in Victoria since Charlie Boy won the Danehill Stakes (1200m) at the start of the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival.
