Snowden Confident Kuroshio Can Improve In The McEwen Stakes

Paul Snowden, the stable foreman for his father Peter in Melbourne, is confident that inconsistent colt Kuroshio can improve when he contests the Group 2 McEwen Stakes(1000m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Kuroshio

Kuroshio will be looking to bounce back from a string of poor performances in the McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Kuroshio stamped himself as a colt to watch with his victory in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield in February but since that win has failed to live up to his potential, finishing sixth in the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) and 14th in the Group 1 Golden Slipper during the 2013 Autumn Racing Carnival before beginning his spring campaign by finishing at the tail of the field in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m).

Snowden believes that Kuroshio had plenty of excuses for his poor performance first-up and expects him to be competitive against a strong field in the McEwen stakes this weekend.

“First-up there was excuses and he probably should not have run,” Snowden said.

“He got struck in the head when one went off next to him and he ran pretty below par.

“He has trialed nicely since and he is a pretty quick horse who should be suited.

“He gets a big weight relief as well, I think that he is down at 52 and that is a big drop from the top weights.

“He is competitive over these shorter distances.”

Kuroshio will have to be at his very best to be a winning chance in the McEwen Stakes, with Group 1 winners Moment Of Change and Platelet both set to begin their 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaigns in the race.

Platelet will be returning to the races for the first time since she scored back-to-back wins in the Group 1 Sangster Classic (1200m) and Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) in Adelaide; while Moment Of Change will be looking to return to the form that saw him finish second in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) after he finished his autumn preparation with poor efforts in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) and The Goodwood.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.