Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Of all the options available to Group 1 winning filly Sheeza Belter this spring, co-trainer Peter Snowden has pinpointed the $2 million The Invitation as the ideal grand final.

Trainer Peter Snowden (Pic: Steve Hart).

The fillies and mares feature, run on October 22, was won by Icebath in its inaugural year and it’s the 1400m distance that appeals most to the champion trainer.

First, Sheeza Belter has to get her campaign up and running and that begins in Saturday’s Group 2 $250,000 Darley Furious Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick and while Snowden has big targets in mind he warns the last start JJ Atkins winner is vulnerable at her kick-off point.

“I had an open mind as to when she would start but such has been her progress in her work in the last couple of weeks it’s telling me she’s ready to have her first start now,’’ Snowden said.

“There’s further improvement to come but it’s a good starting point. I think 1400m is definitely her best trip. So where we go from Saturday we’ll decide where we go.

“The Invitation race would be perfect, it fits in perfectly to her program and what we’ve got planned for her.”

The three-year-old, who started her career in WA, came of age in the Brisbane winter with her Group 2 Sires’ Produce (1400m) and Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) wins.

Snowden said Sheeza Belter spelled very well and has that fitness base from having the shorter break but isn’t heading to Randwick expecting her to breeze past a strong field of fillies.

“She’ll run well, she’s got a perfect draw, she’ll be three pairs back and she’s too good a filly to say she can’t win,’’ he said.

“There’s still quite a bit of improvement to come, her coat is about 80 per cent there and fitness wise she’s certainly not screwed down for Saturday but her class will take her a long way.”

Sheeza Belter is one of three quality fillies from the Peter and Paul Snowden yard taking their place in the Furious and, the others being Group 2 Percy Sykes winner Paris Dior and Magic Millions runner-up Russian Conquest.

It’s Paris Dior who takes the top seed position as far as Saturday’s race is concerned, at $5.50 with TAB on Thursday, and the lightly raced Pierro filly has been prepared with two barrier trials.

From an ideal barrier Snowden can only see her being very hard to beat first-up.

“Unfortunately they’ve got to meet but it’s the right race for all three of them to get started,’’ he said.

“Paris Dior is wound up and ready to go, she should be right there.

“Hopefully she’s in the first four or five comfortably and if she is she’ll give herself the best chance to run to her best again.”

Paris Dior is a $15 chance in the Group 1 $1 million Golden Rose (1400m) run in three weeks and her performance in the Furious will determine whether that’s the immediate target or if she continues through the remainder of the Princess Series.

“We wonder how far to experiment with her, the owners are quite keen to get her to a mile,’’ he said.

“We’ll go to the Tea Rose in a couple of weeks but if she ran really well we’d consider the Golden Rose.”

Paris Dior runs second in a Rosehill trial on August 12

Snowden scratched Russian Conquest from the Silver Shadow after she drew an outside alley but she’ll be lining up in the Furious with fingers crossed a bit of luck in running goes her way.

Instead of racing two weeks ago the filly contested a barrier trial, her third this preparation, so fitness will be the least of her concerns as jockey Regan Bayliss has to negotiate barrier 11 of 12.

“You can’t predict you’re going to draw well, she’s got to start off,’’ Snowden said.

“She looks really good. She trialled the day before she was supposed to run so she didn’t miss anything.

“I’m not sure whether we go forward or back with her but she’s in great shape and no doubt she will run well.”

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