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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Peter Snowden says there’s a good case to forgive both Vomo Island and Godzilla for their last start defeats and both have the chance press a case at Randwick on Saturday for a shot at the final two-year-old Group 1 of the season.

Trainer Peter Snowden (Pic: Steve Hart)

Vomo Island started $2.35 at Canterbury earlier this month when third behind Kandinsky Abstract and last week’s impressive winner Celestial Legend, while Godzilla was a drifting $3.20 elect in his eighth behind Azula at Kensington two weeks ago.

Snowden said the Wilson Asset Management Handicap (1400m) is an important fork in the road for both colts who will strip a lot fitter this weekend.

“(Vomo Island) was off a little freshen up so he was probably a little underdone,’’ he said.

“He’s ready now, he’s had another trial between runs and he’s ready to run well. We tried to get him to Brisbane but he didn’t make the cut so he needs to be running well to get into the JJ (Atkins).”

Tom Sherry has the ride on Vomo Island, $2.60 with TAB on Thursday, and Snowden said from gate three he will have the option to react to whatever unfolds in the early stages.

“There hasn’t been too many seven furlong races, normally they don’t go too hard in them,’’ he said.

“He’s got gate speed, he can be handy and if they are going hard he can sit off them.”

Godzilla captured everyone’s attention with his closing fifth behind subsequent Golden Slipper winner Shinzo in the Group 2 Pago Pago Stakes in mid-March.

But a stone bruise put paid to his autumn carnival campaign and Snowden said he’s taken a little while to get over that issue. That said, he expected more than to be beaten six lengths.

“He trialled okay going into it but everyone thought he was going to start when he left off before he had the sore foot,’’ Snowden said.

“I thought he’d go better than what he did, yeah I was disappointed, but his work since that run has been very good so I’ll put it down to fitness more than anything else.

“He gets his chance to redeem himself.”

Imported four-year-old Unspoken reaches his comfort zone in the Swysh Handicap (2000m) at his fourth start for the Peter and Paul Snowden partnership and the co-trainer said the trip is key to his chances.

The gelding has been runner-up in two of his three starts, and had excuses in the other, and comes off a solid second behind Akasawa over 1700m at the Scone carnival.

“All his runs have been good. His first run was excellent, he was flattened at Hawkesbury and third-up he ran well again at Scone,’’ Snowden said.

“He’s been looking for this trip for a while and I think he’s found the right race. He’s a mile and a quarter, mile and a half horse, he’s ready for 2000m.”

Vomo Island runs third at Canterbury on May 3

Peter Snowden’s comments the stable’s other runners:

Tashi (race 4): “She’s a good fresh filly, she always trials well and she’s in the right race to run well first-up.”

Mirra View (race 5): “Her first run was excellent, really good. The seven furlongs shouldn’t worry her, she’s got a nice draw and a claim and she’ll run well.”

Billiondollarbaby (race 7): “I would have liked 1200m but that was a very strong race (in Brisbane) so when we drew bad it was a no brainer to stay home.”

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