Trainer Peter Snowden believes that talented mare Wistful is back to her best form ahead of the 2014 Hawkesbury Gold Cup at the standalone Hawkesbury meeting on Saturday.
Wistful has the chance to give trainer Peter Snowden one more feature race victory for the Darley operation in the 2014 Hawkesbury Gold Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Wistful failed to beat home a single runner in the Group 3 Wiggle Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm on March 8 and finished an unlucky tenth in the Group 3 Newcastle Newmarket Handicap (1400m) on March 19 before being outclassed in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5, but returned to a semblance of her best form with a narrow second behind Destiny’s Kiss in the Dunkirk Handicap (1600m) at Warwick Farm on April 25.
Snowden told Racing Ahead this morning that he believes Wistful is back to her best and is confident that she will run well against a strong field in the Hawkesbury Gold Cup this weekend.
“Her race run was ok and her second run at Newcastle was very good,” Snowden said.
“The only below par run was at Rosehill, but she took on the A-grade fillies and there was a really good lot of fillies that day and the track was heavy.
“Getting back to a better surface at Warwick Farm was a much better run and if we get a good track tomorrow she is going to run well.
“It is a solid race, there are two or three genuine chances there, but I feel that she is back in form and that good barrier is a big plus for her.”
Saturday is the final day that Snowden will be in charge of the Darley operation and he will join son Paul Snowden in a new training venture based at Royal Randwick on Sunday ; with John O’Shea taking over as Darley head trainer.
Snowden said that it has been a tough week saying goodbye to all of the staff that he has worked with for the last decade, but is looking forward to starting the next step of his trainer career.
“It was a tough day yesterday, I went to Melbourne and said goodbye to the team down there, and that was pretty sad, but we have tomorrow to get through and then the next chapter starts on Sunday,” Snowden said.
“That is what I am focusing on now; getting through tomorrow and doing the best that we can and then Sunday is a new start and a new day.”
Wistful is currently available at 2014 Hawkesbury Gold Cup odds of $6; with Leebaz a clear favourite at a quote of $1.75.
