A sizzling trackwork session by Caulfield Guineas winner Shooting To Win has primed him for his return to racing in Saturday’s Group 2 $200,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill.
Shooting To Win is ready for his return to the racetrack in the Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
A brilliant gallop alongside stablemate and Hobartville Stakes contender Diamond Valores saw Shooting To Win clock a blistering 33.7 seconds for the final 600m of the workout outside the markers on the Kensington Track on Tuesday morning.
“Shooting To Win has turned into a trackwork machine. He was always a fast worker but the brother to Deep Field, who will line up in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes this weekend, has gone to another level,” Randwick trackman Nic Ashman wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.
“He worked with another Hobartville contender in Diamond Valores and the pair clocked 33.7 secs for their last 600m, which given where the markers were, was pretty slick going.”
The Peter And Paul Snowden trained Shooting To Win was sent to the paddock following his win in the 2014 Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield in October.
The Northern Meteor colt had two Randwick barrier trials for his return, a ninth over 1050m on January 15 and a win over 1000m on February 2, and Peter Snowden said he is as fit as he can get him for his first up assignment this weekend.
“He’s had two trials and a couple of good gallops since,” Snowden told TVN.
“He’s been doing some beach work too and I couldn’t get him any fitter with trackwork or trials.
“He needs to go to the races now and that will bring him on even more.”
“He’s a bit stronger now than he was, finally grown into himself.”
“Because of that he’s taking a bit more work.”
Jockey Blake Shinn partnered Shooting To Win in his latest Randwick barrier trial and looks set to replace James McDonald who steered Shooting To Win to win the Caulfield Guineas.
After the Hobartville Stakes Shooting To Win will line up in the Group 1 $600,000 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick two weeks later and he is also in the nominations for the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 4.
Shooting To Win is currently on the second line of betting at $9 for the Doncaster Mile with Ladbrokes.com.au behind top Japanese galloper World Ace who heads the market order at $8.
