Trainer Gerald Ryan has confirmed that Snitzerland will contest the Moir Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley first-up on September 27 after the classy mare recorded an impressive victory in a barrier trial over 900 metres at Rosehill Gardens this morning.

Snitzerland will return to Moonee Valley for the first time since her victory in the 2012 Champagne Stakes in the Moir Stakes next Friday. Photo by: Steve Hart

Snitzerland jumped from the gates well, went straight to the lead and was never headed despite being kept under a heavy hold.

Ryan was delighted with Snitzerland’s effort in the trial and told TVN that the daughter of Snitzel would head to Melbourne before returning to the races in the recently upgraded and renamed Schweppes Stakes.

“She went really well, did everything I wanted and now she’s on her way to Melbourne where she will run first-up in the Moir,” Ryan said.

“This morning’s trial was exactly what she needed and I’m very happy to be sending her to Melbourne now.”

Snitzerland has competed at the highest level of racing on five occasions but will still be chasing her first Group 1 victory when she contests the Schweppes Stakes at Moonee Valley next Friday.

As a two-year-old Snitzerland finished a narrow second behind Pierro in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200) but was less successful during the 2012 Spring Racing Carnival when she finished fifth in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) and sixth in the Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic (1200m).

The Challenge Stakes winner was the clear favourite to break her Group 1 drought in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) but ran into a rampant Bel Sprinter (1100m) and performed poorly, as odds-on favourite, in the Group 1 Robert Sangster Classic (1200m) at Morphettville in April.

Snitzerland will, once again, be kept to sprint races during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival, with the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 25 and the Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) both on the agenda.