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By Ray Hickson

It’s not lost on co-trainer Peter Snowden how there are parallels emerging between promising three-year-old Mazu and dual Everest winner Redzel.

Trainer Peter Snowden (Pic: Steve Hart)

He’s reluctant to draw any comparisons or make predictions about where Mazu might end up but that may come if he extends his winning streak to five in the Group 2 $1m Arrowfield Sprint (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Redzel’s first win as a gelding came in the Fireball in 2016 at his third start since the 'gear change' - Mazu won the same race last month at his second but on the back of a first-up win.

Of course Redzel retired with over $16 million in the bank so expecting Mazu to live up to that is a reach at this point but Snowden said he's headed in the right direction for now.

“He’s got a similar profile, if anything he’s come around a bit quicker when we gelded him,’’ Snowden said.

“(Redzel) took about six months to turn his form around, (Mazu) is a long way off him but there are a few similarities.

“We never deviated from the plan, it was all about this race. Even when he won his first start back it was a sense of relief that gelding him hadn’t taken anything away from him.

“Each time it’s got harder and he’s handled it well.”

Mazu, $3.70 with TAB on Thursday, was a dominant last start winner of the Darby Munro (1200m) at Rosehill three weeks ago and races at set weights for the first time this campaign.

Snowden said he has had the perfect grounding to tackle the Arrowfield, he reaches it on an upward curve, and it could be a launching pad for next season, as it was for the Snowden stable's now retired Group 1 winner Wild Ruler last year, if he can measure up against some Group 1 performed colts.

“It’s one of the better races having Group 2 status, certainly Group 1 horses come out of it,’’ he said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how he measures up against those better class horses. It’ll be a good measuring stick for a horse like him.

“He’s had a perfect preparation up until now and there’ll be no excuses from our end.”

Sam Clipperton continues his association with Mazu but from gate nine of 11 he’ll likely need to do a bit more work early to find a spot that he’s been required to lately.

“He’s drawn not quite the soft gate that he has at his last two starts,” Snowden said.

“The pluses are he’s going great, he loves wet ground and he’s as fit as we can get him.”

While there’s no question marks over Mazu on heavy ground, Snowden said he has no idea at all how two-year-old fillies Paris Dior and Sheeza Belter will handle it in the Group 2 $1m Furphy Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m).

Paris Dior, $2.40 with TAB on Thursday, was freshened up by the Snowdens after she ran second in the Inglis Millennium back in early February with the Percy Sykes in mind.

Both her and Sheeza Belter ($15), the former Perth filly, have trialled and had limited exposure in trackwork to wet ground and that’s why Snowden is a bit cautious.

“We haven’t had grass work with them but we took them to Canterbury last Wednesday and they worked on the heavy ground,’’ he said.

“They got through it okay but trackwork and races are different.

Mazu wins at Rosehill on March 19

“Paris Dior is a good filly, she’s above average. A freshen up with this race in mind has always been the plan, it’s another race that Group 1 horses normally come out of.”

Sheeza Belter came to the Snowdens after winning the Magic Millions at Pinjarra in Western Australia on February 6 through a connection the stable had with part-owner Justin Warwick.

A few years ago Warwick sent Quilista to Sydney and she was a stakes winner for the Snowdens before being sold.

It’s been a busy couple of months for Sheeza Belter as she had to be floated over to Melbourne from WA, a four day trip, and then a couple of weeks later head to Sydney.

“She’s tough as nails, she looks amazing and has just kept on improving,’’ he said.

“She works well, she has worked with Paris Dior a couple of times and there’s not a lot between them. I’m quietly confident she can run well if she gets through the ground.”

All the fields, form and replays for Day 2 of The Star Championships at Randwick