Peter Snowden

Peter Snowden shows no sign of slowing down in his quest to dominate the 2 year old racing scene in Australia.

Snowden will saddle up Benfica and Free Wheeling in the Group 2 BRC Sires Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Both horses have won their last start easily and both will be sent on to the final Group 1 of the two year old season, TJ Smith Stakes (1600m)

Benfica, a flashy colt by Lonhro was raced three times, winning twice, with the most recent victory coming in the listed Hampton Stakes at Doomben on May 14.

Free Wheeling on the other hand has raced four times, with its first win coming in the Group 3 Campaign Classic at Doomben on the weekend.

Snowden has undoubtedly positioned himself as ‘King of the Kids’ after a phenomenal year that has seen him take a clean sweep of the Group 1 two year old races, with only the TJ Smith left on his radar.

Snowden won the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper with Sepoy before taking the AJC Inglis Sires Produce and Champaign Stakes with Helmet.

“At the start of the season I thought we had some pretty smart horses, but in the last six months they have really exceeded what I thought they could do,” said Snowden.

“We had Sepoy and Helmet which I thought were by far our best ones, but there’s another eight or ten knocking on the door,” continued Snowden.

Both Benfica and Free Wheeling have been well supported for the last of the two year old features.

“Both Benfica and Free Wheeling are nice horses and both will be going on to the Sires and the TJ,” said Snowden.

“He (Free Wheeling) had a tendency to over-race early in his preparation, but he’s starting to relax now. I’m sure when he gets to 1400m he will be even better and even a mile after that,” commented Snowden.

There are currently 21 entries for the Sires Produce, a race that has a field limit of 18. There are a similar number of nominations for the TJ Smith, which also has a capacity field of 18.