Weather To Decide All Aged Stakes Start For Snitzerland

Trainer Gerald Ryan has revealed that the weather forecast will decide whether Snitzerland runs in the 2014 All Aged Stakes at Royal Randwick or the 2014 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm this Saturday.

Snitzerland started her autumn preparation with an impressive win in the 2014 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes.

Snitzerland started her autumn preparation with an impressive win in the 2014 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Ryan has included Snitzerland in the acceptances for both the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) and Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) and told RSN this morning that he will analyse the fields as well as the weather forecasts before he makes a decision on which race to target with the daughter of Snitzel.

“I am not real sure just yet,” Ryan said.

“I have accepted in both places and we will make our minds up after we see the acceptances and the weather forecasts.

“We will go wherever the dryer track is.”

Snitzerland started her autumn preparation with her maiden win at Group 1 level in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on February 15 and had no luck when second behind Villa Verde in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on March 15.

The four-year-old was scratched from the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) that was run at Rosehill Gardens on March 29, due to concerns about the wet track, and clearly did not relish the heavy track in the Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on April 12.

Ryan said that Snitzerland had taken no harm from her run in the T.J. Smith Stakes and believes that the classy mare will return to her best form whether she runs in the All Aged Stakes or Victory Stakes this weekend.

“She is very well,” Ryan said.

“She came out of the T.J. good after running on that wet track and she poked around last week not doing a lot.

“She had a gallop on Monday morning and she galloped very well.

“I’m happy to be going Saturday whether it is Randwick or Eagle Farm.”

Snitzerland will be stepping up to 1400 metres for the first time in her racing career if she contests the All Aged Stakes on Saturday and be having her first race start in Brisbane if she is sent north for the Victory Stakes.

Ryan has had past success in the All Aged Stakes; winning with Hurricane Sky in 1995 and finishing second with Melito in 2010.

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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.