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By Ray Hickson

Champion trainer Peter Snowden says exciting colt Kalashnikov is a lot more advanced than his former star Capitalist was at the same stage as the youngster attempts to emulate his sire’s feat and claim the Listed $160,000 Arrowfield Breeders’ Plate (1000m) on debut.

Trainer Peter Snowden (Pic: Steve Hart)

Kalashnikov is one of three two-year-old colts the Snowden partnership will unveil at Randwick on Saturday, along with Astrologer and Construct, and on the back of his impressive win at the official trials is entitled to top the pecking order.

Snowden said Capitalist was quite immature as he kicked off his racing career in the 2015 Breeders’ Plate but Kalashnikov has so far shown similar talent but also professionalism beyond his years.

“He flew the start, he switched off, he was on a loose rein in front and didn’t over race at all,’’ Snowden said.

“Hughie (Bowman) asked him to quicken and he put four on them in one stride.

“The barrier (11) is not ideal but his attitude will give him every chance. If he flies the start he can zip across and if he jumps with them and three or four punch up you know he will come back and slot in somewhere.”

Capitalist is the last Breeders’ Plate winner to train on and claim the Golden Slipper.

Snowden said Kalashnikov seems to be an example of the type of horse the 2016 Slipper winner is producing at stud and that’s something that took him a little by surprise but stands a horse like him in good stead for later in the season.

“As a two-year-old Capitalist was a bit immature though had good natural ability and could always gallop,’’ he said.

“But he went to the races and was gangbusters. Around 80 per cent of his stock I’ve seen are all much bigger, have more bone in them, and are a lot more mature than what he was at the same age.”

The TAB market has Kalashnikov a clear favourite at $2.60 after he ran 50.53 to win his September 21 trial by five lengths but Snowden said Astrologer ($16) and Construct ($6) have come on since their first public outing.

“There’s not much between them but he probably trialled an edge better,’’ he said.

“He would be the pick on the trials, it was pretty impressive what he did, but he has the worst gate of all.”

Snowden said there’s also parallels to Capitalist in the I Am Invincible colt Construct’s trial where he ran second in a heat run in 50.59 seconds.

Tommy Berry settled Construct at the tail in his trial and allowed him to balance up before running on strongly down the outside, it’s eerily similar to Capitalist’s first trial where he settled in front of one horse then charged down the middle to win.

“He made nearly a 500m run and two-year-old’s don’t normally do that,’’ Snowden said.

Kalashnikov wins a trial at Randwick on September 21

“In Capitalist’s first trial he did the same thing, we got him back and he flew home from a long way back and sustained a run through the line.

“A lot of two-year-olds have a furlong sprint but when you look at (Construct’s) trial he made a 400m run or maybe more. It normally means they are above average.”

Star Turn colt Astrologer, who also races in James Harron’s colours, was on the back foot at the start before winning his trial in slower time than his stablemates but Snowden said he’s a more “tradesman-like” horse.

“He was a touch slow in his trial and worked through the heat well, got up behind the leaders and popped around and won well,’’ he said.

“There’s improvement in him, he still looks a bit immature, but he is going well enough to give him a crack.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Royal Randwick meeting