Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Another race meeting, another chance for the Snowden two-year-old juggernaut to roll on and at Randwick on Wednesday if a filly called Yumi, a member of a royal racing family, makes a winning debut it will be the stable's 13th juvenile win in 2019-20.

Trainer Peter Snowden (Pic: Steve Hart).

In human terms, Yumi’s aunt is the unbeaten champion Black Caviar and according to co-trainer Peter Snowden has her share of talent.

The Lonhro filly is out of Belle Couture, whose dam Helsinge is of course also the mother of Black Caviar.

Yumi debuts in the Press Statement @ Vinery Handicap (1100m) having run second behind Miss Canada at her only trial appearance and Snowden is expecting her to be very competitive but warns she’s not an imposing figure like her famous aunt.

“She’s not big, she’s a small, immature, filly but is very genuine and tries very hard,’’ he said.

“It was no surprise to see her trial well against a filly who ran well on Saturday. In two-year-olds size can be important early but if they have ability there’s no substitute for that.

“She’s got a big ticker, she’s very tough and genuine. Hopefully she is a good horse because she has a good horse’s attitude.’’

The filly was $2.90 favourite with TAB on Tuesday and if successful she’ll continue an amazing run Peter and Paul Snowden are having with their youngsters this season.

Their two-year-olds have started 32 times for 12 wins, a staggering 37 per cent strike rate, and another 11 placings. It’s an unprecedented run for the stable and Snowden puts it down to few things going wrong.

“I think our tracks have helped, the polytrack has been very good,’’ he said.

“It’s stopped shin soreness a lot and horses have come along quite nicely. I’m not sure what the reason is, we work hard every year and not every year you get results.

“But this year it seems everything is going really well.’’

After Yumi debuts they’ll produce Pierro colt Untamed at Canterbury on Friday night and Wyong Magic Millions placegetter Remorseless at Saturday’s Kensington meeting.

The Snowdens have a strong hand in the Grunt @ Yulong Australia Handicap (1000m) with three-year-olds North and L’Cosmo hard in the market.

North ($5.50) was a beaten favourite first-up at Wyong, and Snowden hopes the blinkers will help his cause, while L’Cosmo ($4.80) is coming off an overdue maiden win on the Kensington track two weeks ago.

“He was okay, he’s still new. He looks around and gawks at things,’’ Snowden said of North.

“The horse outside him the other day, he must have thought was Santa Claus because he looked at him the whole way but once he got clear of it he let down really well.

“He has blinkers on to make him focus and not worry about what everyone else is doing around him, he has got talent and does go quite well. One day he will put it all together.’’

Snowden said nobody would be surprised if L’Cosmo’s breakthrough win is the first of many and believes dropping to the 1000m will be in her favour.

Yumi runs second in a Rosehill trial on December 17

“She works as good as any horse in the yard,’’ he said.

“If you jump and let her run she goes keen, but if you get cover and get a smother up she has a great turn of foot. That’s only happened twice in her nine starts.

“Back to 1000m you know they’ll go quickly and she should get back and relax. If she does she has the ability to win again.’’

Peter Snowden’s comments on the stable's other Kensington runners:

Chenin Blanc (race 3, $13): “The first 18 months she was showing us nothing but this preparation she’s a different horse. She’s grown into herself, her second trial was very good and the work since has been good as well. It’ll be interesting to see how she goes.’’

Switching To Win (race 5, $19): “Stepping up to 1800m is no problem, he’s done the work. Probably needs another run to be rock hard fit but it wouldn’t surprise to see him run in the first four or five.’’

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday's Kensington meeting at Randwick