Trainer Peter Snowden is delighted with veteran gelding Pinwheel ahead of the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Veteran gelding Pinwheel has the chance to record his fifth win at Group level in the Kevin Heffernan Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart
Pinwheel returned to the races after a lengthy spell with a promising fourth place finish behind Arinosa in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) and was not disgraced when fifth behind Emirates Stakes winner Boban in the Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m).
Snowden told Racing Ahead that he was delighted with Pinwheel’s first-up performance but believes he rushed the son of Lonhro back to racing too quickly for his second-up start in Melbourne.
“His first-up run was really good, off a long break, and he probably had his second-up run a bit too quick,” Snowden said on RSN.
“He is a horse that does like his races spaced and I probably went a bit too quick from Randwick.
“With that in mind I gave him a month off and back to weight-for-age is the pleasing thing for me.”
Pinwheel has been a game performer for Snowden, winning the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) on two occasions as well as the Group 3 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) and Group 3 Missile Stakes (1200m), but the veteran trainer believes that the eight-year-old is thriving and is in the best form of his career; rating Pinwheel his best chance at Caulfield tomorrow.
“He is a very good weight carrier, he is in great order and he is as sharp as you can get him on the track,” Snowden said.
“There are all positive signs that he is as good as I have seen him.”
There looks like being a fair bit of speed in the Kevin Heffernan Stakes, with She Can Skate and the Mick Price-trained duo of Lankan Rupee and Le Bonsir expected to go forward, and Snowden believes that will help the Warwick Stakes winner who will settle towards the tail of the field.
“He just needs a bit of luck from that draw and there is good speed in the race, which is fine,” Snowden said.
“He will come back and sit off them and he will show a great turn of foot tomorrow and I think that he is in great chance.”
Snowden is chasing his second career win in the Kevin Heffernan Stakes after winning the 2011 edition of the race with Soul.
