Development in maturity and prioritising a fresh state have boosted King Of Roseau’s reliability throughout the past year, with Peter Snowden assured that the sprinter is poised for a successful run of races.
From his second placing in a benchmark race at last year’s equivalent Gosford event, King Of Roseau has posted nine runs yielding five successes—three stakes wins—alongside a further second and two fourth positions.
He begins the latest preparation on Saturday via the Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m), where Snowden predicts a competitive display.
“He has really jumped out of the ground in the last twelve months,” Snowden said.
“He has come of age and he’s getting consistent.
“He’s got some lofty heights ahead of him this ‘prep’, but it starts off with Saturday, then hopefully three weeks later the Kingsford-Smith (Cup) and maybe, if he’s going well enough, the Stradbroke (Handicap).”
After a break subsequent to the Liverpool City Cup (1300m) victory in February, the gelding has gate six of 13 at his return.
He must handle 60kg but Snowden anticipates settling midfield to stay within range of the pace on the turn.
“There’s a couple who go quick, but it’s not like they’re going to fly and from a middle gate, he should be able to keep a midfield spot quite comfortably,” he said.
“If he does, half the job is done. It’s better to be sitting four or five (lengths) off them than ten or twelve.”
Snowden enters Unspoken into the Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) too, urging improvement following three finishes out of the places, with Touristic potentially running.
Suited to sloppy tracks, Touristic faces dry conditions Saturday, so Snowden considers postponing for rain-hit Queensland next week.
“There’s Brisbane next week and it’s supposed to rain up there all next week, so it’s tempting to wait,” Snowden said.
“But I’ve been here before and nothing happens, so we might be better off taking this race.
“It’s nearly D-day for Unspoken. He’s been a bit frustrating and has had a few little issues and been a bit hard to manage of late. He needs to show us something on Saturday or that might be spell time for him.”
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