Redzel will face the toughest challenge of his racing career to date in the 2015 San Domenico Stakes and co-trainer Paul Snowden is very keen to see where the talented colt stacks up against the likes of Vancouver in the Group 3 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Hugh Bowman has been booked to ride Redzel in the 2015 San Domenico Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Redzel made his racing debut under the care of Gerald Ryan and he beat the talented Japonisme in his first race start at Warwick Farm on March 19 before he finished third behind Furnaces in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) at Royal Randwick on April 6.
The Snitzel colt joined Team Snowden at the end of his autumn preparation and he showed that he was ready for a return to racing when he recorded a most impressive barrier trial victory at Royal Randwick on July 31.
Snowden admits that Redzel faces a tough challenge in the 2015 San Domenico Stakes, but he told Racing Ahead that he was delighted with the barrier trial of the colt and is not ruling out an upset win in the Rosehill spring.
“It is our first look at him since coming from Gerald’s,” Snowden said.
“He won and was placed in a Group race, so he definitely had the ability and I couldn’t have been more impressed with the way that he trialed last week.
“He has a great turn-of-foot and we weren’t seeing that at home until we put the blinkers on him and it is a complete different home.
“That is the biggest question and that is going to be answered on Saturday.
“After that trial, he was going straight into that race on Saturday and you are going to see where you sit amongst them.
“I know a lot of them are first-up and they are going to be harder as we get further into the spring, but I think that it is a measuring stick as to where he is at.
“It is a massive weight drop on the top weight and the distance will suit him more than Vancouver.
“If he is going to grab him it may be on Saturday.”
Team Snowden are yet to decide on the path that Redzel will follow during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival and will not make any firm decisions until he runs in the San Domenico Stakes on Saturday, but Snowden admitted that the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 12 is a potential option for the talented colt.
“We have to wait until Saturday,” Snowden said.
“There is the possibility of the Golden Rose with him, but he has to do it.
“He is a well-bred horse with good ability, but he has to do it at this type of level.”
Redzel is currently available at 2015 Golden Rose Stakes odds of $34 and is priced at $18 to take out the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
