Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Randwick trainer Peter Snowden is not too worried about a missed run for Tuileries as he chases back-to-back wins in the final group 1 race of the season, the Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Snowden was relieved last year when five-year-old Tashi broke her stakes race duck with a career-capping win in the fillies and mares feature following seven placings in black-type events, including three runner-up finishes leading in to the Tiara.
One of those was in the traditional lead-up, the group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes, two weeks earlier. Two-time group 3 winner Tuileries missed the Dane Ripper, meaning she has not raced since taking out the Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone on May 16.
Despite the gap between runs, Snowden believed Tuileries was ready to make the most of a handy draw in three. Chad Schofield rides the So You Think mare, that was battling for favouritism at $6.50 (TAB).
“If you look through her form, she responds well to spacing her runs,” Snowden said.
“She was to run in the Dane Ripper, but when it rained as much as it did, and she had a really wide gate, I didn’t want her to have a gut-buster.
“But the horse hasn’t missed a beat. She trialled the week before that at Rosehill, a solid trial she went well in, so the gap between runs, I’m not too worried about that.
“I went up and saw her work Tuesday and she looks great. She worked very strong, so she’s in the right spot, she’s got a good gate, so we’re hopeful.”
Snowden also has Fire Star ($7.50) among the favourites in the group 3 WJ Healy Stakes (1200m). He was less than a length away in fourth last start in the listed Hinkler Handicap (1200m).
“He’s going well and his third-up form is good,” he said.
“From a good gate, it will give him a chance to be up on speed where he likes to be. He didn’t have a lot of room in the straight last start, so I thought his run was quite good.”
He said King Of Sparta ($31) will also run in the Healy, despite a wide draw.
“He needs it to keep ticking over, then we’ll give him a freshen up and bring him back for the spring,” he said.
He also had two hopes in the listed 2YO Tattersall’s Stakes. Pearl Of Dubai ($13) has placed four times in her six winless starts, while colt The Machine Gun ($10) won on debut at Canterbury. Snowden believed Pearl Of Dubai could challenge from a better draw on firmer ground, while The Machine Gun was being underestimated.
“He’s a very laid-back horse, so it’s hard to get a good read on him, but I liked him at Canterbury … and there’s a bit of form there,” he said.
“The second or third favourite [Klocke], he beat him comfortably, and he’s shorter in the market, so I’m not sure why. He’s drawn a bit awkward, but he’s got gate speed, so he will probably put himself in the first half-dozen.”
At Rosehill, Touristic ($23) will have his third attempt at the listed WJ McKell Cup (2000m). The seven-year-old, second then fourth the past two years, faded to 10th in the Lord Mayors Cup last start.
“He just raced a little too close and it took his finish away,” Snowden said.
“But he’s had a freshen up, it’s been four weeks between runs and his work has been good. It’s probably a soft track again on Saturday, so he’s not without a chance.”
