Snowden stacks Hawkesbury Nominations for Darley farewell

Trainer Peter Snowden has nominated a massive twenty-one entries for Saturday’s Hawkesbury stand-alone meeting where he will saddle up Darley owned horses for the last time.

Trainer Peter Snowden, above with stable rider Kerrin McEvoy, will saddle his last runner for Darley at Hawkesbury on Saturday.

Trainer Peter Snowden, above with stable rider Kerrin McEvoy, will saddle his last runner for Darley at Hawkesbury on Saturday. Photo by Taron Clarke.

John O’Shea will take over as Darley’s number one trainer on Sunday morning when Snowden will join forces with his son Paul at Randwick after making the decision five months ago to leave the massive thoroughbred racing and breeding operation.

“This has been coming since last November. The support has been really good,” Snowden told The Daily Telegraph.

“To be with my family, that’s what I’ve wanted to do.”

‘It’s my last meeting, I want to go out with a winner. It won’t be for want of trying.”

“I’m looking forward to it, I want to get into it, get on top of it and meet new owners.”

“Saturday will be my last day for Darley, but the next chapter starts on Sunday for Paul and myself.”

Snowden has nominated five runners for race sponsored by Darley, giving himself an excellent chance to win the Group 3 $150,000 The 2014 Darley Crown (1300m) for the fillies and mares.

Exceed And Excel mare Aerobatics is the highest rated of Snowden’s five and is coming off a fifth to Cosmic Endeavour in the Group 2 $300,000 Drummond Golf Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 19.

Snowden’s other Darley Crown nominations are Cameo and Seaside, back after a short freshen up, while Pleiades and La Pieta are resuming from a longer break.

The Gai Waterhouse trained Cosmic Endeavour will be hard to beat again as will Sapphire Stakes runner up Avoid Lightning and Lilliburlero from the David Payne stable.

Snowedn has entered four three year olds in the Group 3 $150,000 Blacktown Workers Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m), Barbed, Safeguard, Sinjoren and Suit.

The Hawkesbury Guineas, with twenty-four nominations,  is shaping up as a keen contest with Group 3 J H B Carr Stakes quinella Estonian Princess and Northern Glory set to clash again as well as Casino Dancer dropping back in class after finishing ninth in the Group 1 $1m Seven News Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 19.

And New Zealand filly Beauty’s Beast is racing in outstanding form with four wins from her last five starts including a last start win in the Listed $150,000 McGrath Estate Agents South Pacific Classic (1400m) at Randwick on April 19.

Snowden will only have one runner in the Group 3 $150,000 Panthers Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) with Wistful who is coming off a second to Destiny’s Kiss in a 1600m BenchMark 95 at Warwick Farm on April 25.

His other possible runners are Limes in the $125,000 XXXX Gold Hawkesbury Rush (1100m), Farolitos and Meursault in the $125,000 Evergreen Turf Claret Stakes (1300m) for the two year olds and Kukri in the $100,000 BenchMark 80 Handicap (2100m).

Generalife, Imperil, La Pieta, Pleiades and Suit have been nominated for the $100,000 BenchMark 85 (1300m) with Sail and Talent entered in the $100,000 BenchMark 80 (1500m).

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.