The fairytale season for Peter Snowden in the juvenile racing arena could continue in Sydney this Saturday with another two-year-old from the Darley stables set to make their race debut, Tallat looking to replicate the winning form his esteemed predecessors.
Peter Snowden will be represented in both Sydney and Queensland this Saturday
Snowden, currently sitting in second place behind Chris Waller for this year’s Sydney Training Premiership, and Darley Racing secured an unprecedented five-from-five clean sweep in the 2YO Group One features this year.
After the Blue Diamond – Golden Slipper winning double in the autumn with Sepoy and the AJC Sire’s Produce Stakes – Champagne Stakes success of Helmet, Benfica sealed the deal last Saturday with an upset win in the TJ Smith.
This Saturday another youngster will look to kick-start a captivating race career under the guidance of Snowden with Elusive Quality colt Tallat debuting in the $70,000 Kingaroy Kitchen Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens.
“He’s a really nice horse, I’ve always liked him,” Snowden said of the well-bred Tallat, a half-brother to dual Group 1 winner Fiumicino.
“He’s still immature, probably an autumn horse (in 2012), but he’s a lovely big horse that just needs a bit of time.
“I think he’s a horse for the future.”
Tallat is one of two debutants in the race along with the Bart Cummings-trained Penheights, the two facing a tough test drawn wide in gates 10 and 12 respectively in the 12-horse field.
“I wanted to run him on a big track over a bit of ground so this race at Rosehill suited,” Snowden said.
Race favourite is the perfectly-drawn Queenian on the rails for trainer David Payne, followed by the in-form Star Mystery seeking their third win on the trot.
Along with Tallat, Snowden will saddle up seven other runners over the eight-race Rosehill Saturday programme this weekend.
His other most notable runner of the day is Beltane, the Lonhro three-year-old resuming after a three month break in the opening race on the card.
Beltane, to be ridden by Joshua Parr, has come up with the inside alley for the $70,000 Latch-On Education Program Handicap (1200m) where the gelding will vie for their third win from just five career starts.
“He’s a nice horse for this time of year, the only thing is it’s a little bit of an unknown how he’ll handle a heavy track,” Snowden said.
One of Snowden’s Rosehill runners that will find the rain-affected track advantageous is Classics.
A three-year-old daughter of Commands, Classics will line-up in the $70,000 Saunders Insurance Brokers Handicap (1400m) from barrier 11 taking on the likes of the Tracey Bartley-trained General’s Sniper and Chris Waller’s last-start winner First Look.
“I’ve been a little bit disappointed in her because her work to me suggested she should have won a little bit easier than what she did first-up,” Snowden said of Classics and nose victory over 1250m at Canterbury on May 25.
“I think she’s a nice filly but she’s still very immature and she needs to finish more.
“What she does on Saturday will tell me whether I need to tip her out again or whether we keep going with her.”
Snowden will be represented across two states this Saturday as he also has Jerezana racing in Queensland.
Four-year-old Lonhro mare Jerezana is engaged to race in the $100,000 Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic (1350m) at Ipswich.
The 58kg topweight of the field, Jerezana will be ridden by Larry Cassidy and is another Snowden starter this Saturday having come up trumps with barrier one for their run.
