The Blue Diamond Stakes might have been the race that got away, but co-trainer Paul Snowden is confident Don Corleone can make amends this spring.
The blue-blooded colt had to settle for the minor prize in two Group 1s as a juvenile, finishing a luckless second in the Melbourne feature then striking an unsuitable wet track when again runner-up in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes.
Sandwiched in between was a fine fourth to Shinzo in the Golden Slipper and it is that class that has convinced Snowden Don Corleone will have his moment in the sun.
The richly bred colt resumes in Saturday’s The Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill where Snowden hopes he can lay the foundations for a serious Golden Rose assault.
“He’s a mid to backmarker and the Blue Diamond was the big one that got away. He got strung up at a vital stage then flew home,” Paul Snowden said.
“He’s an on-top-of-the ground horse and we didn’t get those conditions at his last two runs in the Sires’ and the Champagne.
“But his form prior to that was outstanding, he was mixing it with the best ones around at that stage, and he’s got a good race in him.
“Hopefully we can kick off here and run well, and then in a fortnight in the Golden Rose.”
Don Corleone will face a select field of nine rivals, headed by Golden Slipper runner-up Cylinder who returns to Sydney after a fighting first-up win in the Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield, along with dual Group 1 winner Militarize and the unbeaten Libertad.
Snowden, who trains in partnership with his father Peter, will also saddle up fellow three-year-old Vomo Island in the Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m).
The handsome Dundeel colt is a maiden after three starts but has bumped into some handy horses including Kandinsky Abstract, Celestial Legend and J J Atkins placegetter Tannhauser and Snowden says he will be suited by a 100m distance rise on Saturday.
“He will be one of the best-looking horses in the yard, the physicality of him is amazing,” Snowden said.
“He just needs to put it all together and maybe out to seven furlongs we might see that.”
Meanwhile, Regan Bayliss has been medically cleared to ride at Rosehill almost a week after he was sidelined with a concussion injury following a race day fall at Wyong last Friday.
Bayliss will ease back in with a light book of two rides, including even-money favourite Too Much Caviar for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in the Goffs Orby Sale Handicap (2400m).
He was also booked to partner Kandinsky Abstract in The Run To The Rose but the colt is an early scratching with trainer Chris Waller indicating he will instead run at Flemington next week.
