The Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Mazu stamped himself as a sprinting prospect to watch in the elite level races of the spring stepping up in grade to defeat the favourite In The Congo in Saturday’s 2022 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint results.

Mazu was impressive stepping-up in grade on a Heavy track to win the 2022 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint. Photo: Steve Hart.

Since being gelded, the son of Maurice has gone through the grades for Team Snowden improving from a Benchmark 78 race in February to win the Group 2 $1 million Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) on a Heavy (10) Randwick track on Day 2 of The Championships.

Extending his winning streak to five on the trot, Mazu came off a big 2.6 length win in Rosehill’s Listed Darby Munro Stakes (1200m) to relish another mud Sydney track and beat a small but class field.

“To go unbeaten in a preparation is really hard to do in this day and age. He has deserved his right to win a Group Two and beat some handy horses in their own right. Obviously now, we can look forward to the spring with him and see what we do,” co-trainer Paul Snowden told the media post-win.

“He can absorb the pressure and that is his biggest attribute. The horse can run seven furlongs any day of the week and possibly further but what he had a tendency to do was over-race a bit much in those early days and we spent so much time just trying to get this horse to back off. Just how he absorbed that pressure and then released off the back of that, that is certainly a special horse.”

Seven scratchings depleted the size of this year’s Arrowfield Sprint field leaving just four final runners, but there was still plenty to beat including last Saturday’s Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes place-getter Paulele who had to settle for third again on the quick back-up.

Mazu flew out the gates, but jockey Sam Clipperton was happy to keep his horse restrained settling second on the outside of the well-backed favourite In The Congo for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott.

Second-up off his Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) third, Snitzel colt In The Congo held his lead on the fence around the turn with Mazu right there beside him.

Having travelled strongly in third throughout, Paulele revved up at the 400m as they went for home but didn’t have enough muster to catch the top two.

Mazu meanwhile was going great guns, joining In The Congo 250m out from the line before pulling ahead to extend his lead and salute in the million-dollar feature.

“This horse is just incredible really. Full credit to Peter and Paul (Snowden). It was well documented he was a rogue as a colt, always had a stack of ability. How they’ve just prepared this horse, they could’ve easily gone to the Galaxy and he would’ve given it a shake,” Clipperton said. 

“But they haven’t got ahead of his time, let the horse tell then when he’s ready. Look four horse field today, but it didn’t matter because it was all about Paulele and In The Congo. They were the horses to beat and it was a good feeling idling up next to In The Congo, I was mindful that Gai (Waterhouse) and Adrian’s (Bott) they don’t go down without a fight.

“But I think we’ve got a serious horse on our hands and there’s a race in October (The Everest) that comes to mind that he may just end up in because he’s certainly good enough.”

The sky looks the limit for the Arrowfield winning Mazu who looks a genuine early chance to secure a slot in the $15 million The Everest (1200m) back at the track and distance on October 15, the race mentioned by Clipperton and confirmed as a potential target by the team.

“He’s got that ability to absorb pressure and we all know how good an asset that can be at the top level, especially one race in particular (The Everest). When he can absorb pressure like that and kick off the back of it and respond, that’s a very good attribute to have,” Snowden said.

Mazu has firmed from $19 into $13 in all-in The Everest 2022 betting odds through Ladbrokes.com.au – available in full here.

2022 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint Results & Finishing Order

Table Credit: Racing Australia.