In form jockey Blake Shinn is hoping Hot Snitzel can draw a good barrier in the Group 1 $2m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) to give the six year old a chance of winning a second Group 1 at Doomben on Saturday.
Hot Snitzel is in fine form heading into the Stradbroke Handicap at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Shinn was able to give Hot Snitzel the perfect run just behind the leaders after jumping from barrier two before going on to score a three quarters of a length win in the Group 1 $500,000 UBET BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on May 9.
Another favourable barrier will let Shinn give Hot Snitzel a similar ride and the top Sydney jockey is certain he will be hard to beat again.
Final acceptances for the Stradbroke Handicap will be taken on Wednesday morning with the all-important barrier draw to be conducted in the mounting enclosure at Doomben at 10:15am.
“Barriers are going to be crucial, not only my horse but to every horse’s chance in Saturday’s big field,” Shinn told Racing HQ.
“If he gets s nice gate and a similar run to what he had last start I couldn’t see why he couldn’t go close to winning again.”
Hot Snitzel was having his first run for the Peter and Paul Snowden stable when he scored a surprise win in the BTC Cup and reports from the stable is that the Snitzel six year old has progressed nicely since.
The Snowdens elected to bypass the Group 1 $750,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1350m) at Doomben on May 23 and sent Hot Snitzel around in a 1050m Randwick barrier on May 25 for a second to Avoid Lightning to maintain his fitness levels.
Shinn said that his work since has been good and he was aboard this morning at Randwick for his final gallop before heading to Brisbane for Saturday’s contest.
“He is going really well,” Shinn said.
“Obviously he won his last race in the BTC Cup and he has had a little time between runs, had a nice barrier trial at Randwick about ten days ago to top him off for this run this week and he put in a good gallop this morning and couldn’t be happier with him.
“Going great guns.”
“I honestly feel that the horse is grown in confidence. That win has certainly sparked him up a little bit more.
“He was out of the winner’s circle for some time and he is just a really happy horse, great frame of mind and Peter and Paul Snowden have really got him in a good place at the moment.”
Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan had prepared Hot Snitzel for seven wins before he was transferred to the Snowden stable and he had been competitive at the highest level since his two year old days.
During the 2011 Queensland Winter Carnival Hot Snitzel collected wins in the Listed $100,000 Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast and in the Group 2 $250,000 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm before running second in the Group 1 $500,000 T.J. Smith (1600m), now called the J.J. Atkins, at Eagle Farm.
The Snowdens also have the well fancied Charlie Boy qualified to run in the Stradbroke Handicap and the Myboycharlie four year old threw himself into contention with a close second to Boban in the Doomben 10,000.
In the latest betting for the Stradbroke Handicap, Ladbrokes.com.au have Hot Snitzel marked as a $17 chance with Melbourne filly Lumosty at the head of the market order at $5.
Western Australian sprinter Black Heart Bart heads up the rest of the field at $6 with the John O’Shea trained Generalife next in the betting at $7 ahead of Doomben 10,000 runner up Charlie Boy at $9, Delectation and Knoydart at $10, Srikandi at $11, Sacred Star at $12 and Chris Waller’s multiple Group 1 winner Boban at $13.
