Peter Snowden’s untapped colt Peck is ready to display their Spring Carnival credentials at Randwick on Saturday, Darley’s ace rider Kerrin McEvoy confident the three-year-old is the horse to beat the weekend and a stayer to watch next season.
Peck will put their claims as a stayer to the test at Randwick on Saturday
A well-bred son of British sire Pivotal from Sadler’s Wells mare Flying Kiss, Peck showed plenty of promise at the start of their career last summer, Snowden originally planning for the emerging galloper to tackle the Group 1 Queensland Derby during the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.
After failing to produce their customary turn of foot, Peck missed their chance to improve their ratings and make the Derby clash when they finished four lengths away 11th to Turnitup in the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) at Doomben on May 28.
Given a brief four week break, Snowden bought Peck back to Sydney and at their next start, the colt scored an impressive victory in a Benchmark 71 handicap over 2000m at Rosehill with jockey Josh Parr aboard.
That win was the third of their nine start career, and now this Saturday Peck will look to continue the run with another Sydney victory at Randwick.
A good performance in Saturday’s Benchmark 80 handicap over 2400 metres, where McEvoy will take the mount on the horse for the first time, and Peck will be ready for the spring.
“He’s a bit of a spruik horse but he’s still got to deliver,” McEvoy said.
“The thing against him is he doesn’t have any early speed so he has to be ridden the one way.
“A lot depends on tempo…he needs a genuinely-run race to produce his best.
“I expect Peter (Snowden) will base his decision on starting him once he has a good look at what is in the field.”
Likely to be given a light spring campaign of only a few runs just to increase his racing education, Snowden will then look to the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival next year with Peck set to be a big player.
The Darley Racing Stable is in dire need of a genuine stayer to emerge from the ranks, Snowden having started just two horses in the 47 races run over a distance greater than 2000 metres in Sydney for the 2010-11 season.
