Trainer Gerald Ryan has included Snitzerland in the 2014 The Galaxy final field, but is hopeful that there will be no more rain before the running of the Group 1 event at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Snitzerland will jump from barrier eight in the 2014 The Galaxy at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Snitzerland will be forced to carry 56.5 kilograms in The Galaxy this weekend and Ryan indicated earlier in the week that he was far from happy with the handicap that his star sprinter had been allocated, especially with the threat of rain looming over the Rosehill Gardens meeting.
Snitzerland will meet her Challenge Stakes conqueror Villa Verde in The Galaxy and will be forced to carry three and a half kilograms more than the talented filly.
Villa Verde showed plenty of ability as a younger horse, winning the Listed Debutants Stakes (1000m), but broke through for her maiden win at Group level with a most impressive performance in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on March 15.
Trainer Anthony Cummings said yesterday that the daughter of Not A Single Doubt had pulled up well from her Challenge Stakes win and is confident that she can perform well in The Galaxy this weekend before pressing on to the Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on April 12.
Last year’s winner Bel Sprinter will carry the top-weight of 58 kilograms in The Galaxy this weekend and history is against the talented sprinter as no horse has won Group 1 event in back-to-back years since Grey Receiver took out the race in 1982.
Bel Sprinter has not scored a race win since he took out The Galaxy last year, but returned to a semblance of his best form with a fourth place finish behind Villa Verde in the Challenge Stakes.
Temple Of Boom has been included in the 2014 The Galaxy field and, like Bel Sprinter, is chasing a second win in the race after taking out the 2012 edition of the race by the narrowest of margins.
The Piccolo gelding failed to fire in the Challenge Stakes, but is sure to feature if the Rosehill Gardens track is affected by rain; with the veteran gelding scoring five wins from ten tracks on rain affected going.
Temple Of Boom is not the only sprinter whose chances are improved by a wet track in the 2014 The Galaxy; with the Joseph Pride-trained trio of Rain Affair, Tiger Tees and See The World all suited by wet conditions.
Rain Affair is considered one of the best wet-trackers in Australia, but will need to improve significantly on his efforts in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) and Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) to be any chance of recording his maiden win at Group 1 level.
Other key runners in the 2014 The Galaxy field include Gai Waterhouse-trained Whittington (barrier three), last start winner Kencella (barrier ten), Darley sprinter Sessions (barrier 13), talented filly Anatina (barrier seven) and veteran gelding Famous Seamus (barrier one).
