Peter Snowden is lamenting his fortune with barrier draws and will anxiously await scratchings before finalising his team for Rosehill.
Mares Sunrays (gate 10), Tuileries (12), and Miss Freelove (17) all drew double-figure alleys for Saturday’s The Nivison (1200m), while his other black-type runner, three-year-old colt The Machine Gun, drew the outside barrier in the 14-horse Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) field.
While Tuileries and Sunrays are confirmed starters, Snowden will wait until race day to decide whether Miss Freelove joins them.
“Sometimes you get a massive amount of scratchings, and seventeen becomes ten or eleven,” Snowden said. “I’ll see what happens Saturday morning. I would like to run her because timing-wise, it’s ideal.”
Formerly with Kelly Schweida in Brisbane, Sunrays makes her debut for the stable and while she hasn’t raced since finishing down the track in the Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) in May, she usually performs well first-up.
Tuileries also has a competitive record off a break and won the Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone fresh with a big weight from a wide barrier.
Snowden says she’s well-conditioned for Saturday, and he’s hoping Tuileries can earn an invitation for The Invitation (1400m) at Randwick on October 24.
“She’s had two trials and she’s ready to go,” Snowden said. “She’s a top-class filly. She’s rated 107 now for a reason. Her form is very good. She’s had a freshen up in Brisbane and come back with these races in mind. We’d love to get an invitation to that fillies race after Saturday.”
Like he is with Miss Freelove, Snowden will play a waiting game with The Machine Gun, and with three early scratchings from the Roman Consul Stakes already, he could be in luck.
Unbeaten in two starts, The Machine Gun is under consideration for a shot at the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington later this month, and Snowden is keen to see how he measures up against Saturday’s field.
“We wanted to go around on Saturday to see if he was good enough to run in the Coolmore,” he said. “It’s a really good, testing race to see where you are in the pecking order. There could be some scratchings. The favourites might wipe a few out. If he came into eight or nine we might run.”
The back-up plan will be a benchmark race at Rosehill on Wednesday, and Snowden can’t wait to get the Listed winner back to the track.
“We’ve just got to get him running for the races we’ve got in mind,” he said. “He doesn’t excite you of a morning at trackwork, but his race performances have been very good.”
Consider the betting markets for the Roman Consul Stakes on Australian betting sites.