Darley Australia trainer Peter Snowden has unknowingly become a key figure in the Nash Rawiller – Hugh Bowman Sydney jockey premiership battle.
Trainer Peter Snowden and stable rider Kerrin McEvoy celebrating another winner together. Photo by Taron Clarke.
While Snowden will be celebrating two major training feats for the 2012 – 2013 racing season, he will also be legging up Bowman onto race 5 favourite Syncopated as the top rider strives to reclaim the premiership lead from Rawiller.
Rawiller has made a late surge to skip two and a half wins clear of Bowman heading into the last day of the season at Warwick Farm today and a win for Bowman on the Snowden trained mare could be vital.
Snowden has claimed the national trainer’s premiership and could add to his 232 winners if he could record a win or two today from his six starters.
The top trainer has also finished on top of the most stakeswinners trained with 46 wins in Group and Listed races, including five Group 1 victories.
“We are very happy with our results over the season, particularly at the carnivals where we participated really well in all of them,” Snowden told the Daily Telegraph.
“This is what really counts for us as a racing and breeding stable – our successes at stakes level are just so important.
“To win national premierships are milestones and I’m very proud of the whole team.”
Snowden’s stellar year has also dragged jockey Kerrin McEvoy along for the ride with the stable hoop claiming seven Group 1 victories, ending the season sharing the top spot with Bowman.
Snowden kicked off the year winning the first Group 1 of the season with Epaulette in the $1m Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on September 15.
The Commands three year old then went on to win the Group 1 $650,000 Carlton Mid Doomben 10,000 (1350m) at Doomben during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
Mental claimed his first Group 1 victory with a win in the $1m Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) at Flemington in the Spring.
While outstanding filly Guelph put herself in the running for the top two year old of the season with two Group 1 wins over the Sydney Autumn Carnival, the $500,000 Inglis Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) and the $400,000 Moet & Chandon 150th Champagne Stakes (1600m) a fortnight later, both at Randwick.
McEvoy was aboard all of Snowden’s five Group 1 winners but also managed to take out the Group 1 $350,000 Canterbury BMW Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on March 30 on Bel Sprinter and the Group 1 $400,000 Inglis Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on April 6 on Appearance.
