By Ray Hickson
Whether it was the barrier, the tempo or the head start that beat promising filly Reelem In Ruby first-up, co-trainer Peter Snowden says some of those factors can be taken out of the equation as she seeks atonement at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Reelem In Ruby was narrowly beaten when resuming two weeks ago after drifting back to last in a bunched field but Snowden is leaving the possibility open for a different scenario in the ANZ Bloodstock News Handicap (1300m).
The filly drew seven in the eight-horse field but against that it’s a straight run to the turn from the 1300m start.
“We could be a little bit closer,’’ Snowden said.
“The other day there was a bit of speed but they dropped anchor, that always makes it hard when you give them a start.
“She does have some gate speed so we won’t let her get too far back, keep them in our sights and not make the job so big.
“It would have been good to draw a bit better but we won’t use that as an excuse, if she is good enough she will pick them up.’’
The Snowden stable is playing the long game with the three-year-old and it’s not likely that she’ll be rushed north into a carnival if she’s successful.
There’s another race in Sydney in a couple of weeks for her and it’s that race which will decide where her immediate future is.
“We want to take her through her classes just for the moment,’’ Snowden said.
“She’s a talented filly, she’s still a bit light and a bit immature and that’s why we don’t want to give her too many runs this prep.
“She’s definitely worthwhile hanging onto, she’s going to be a nice filly for later on.’’
Reelem In Ruby ($2 with TAB) is the first of successive short priced favourites from the Snowden stable as another three-year-old Carif carries punters’ hopes in the TAB Rewards Handicap (2110m).
Carif, $1.95 favourite on Tuesday, is down in class after a fourth in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m), behind the eventual ATC Derby quinella, and a midfield finish in the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) where he ran a respectable third best 34.84 last 600m (Punter's Intelligence).
Snowden said the colt has an opportunity to earn himself a Queensland Derby campaign but it hinges on him winning and racing genuinely.
“I thought his Rosehill run was good, his Randwick run was okay,’’ Snowden said.
“I was expecting a bit more at Randwick but he still shows some immaturity.
Reelem In Ruby runs second at Warwick Farm on April 17
“He drops the bit and travels then drops the bit so we thought coming back to lesser grade he can learn how to race a bit better.’’
A third pre-post Snowden favourite is the recently gelded Tchaikovsky and the trainer laughed when asked whether we can trust him to find his best form in the Australian Turf Club Handicap (1200m).
Among his seven starts as a colt he contested two Group 1s, a Group 2 and a Group 3 but has a Gosford maiden win to show for it.
Whether Tchaikovsky ($3.60) is trusted or not, Snowden said he’ll have every opportunity to prove his worth as a racehorse given what he’s shown attitude wise since being gelded.
“He works great, you can’t fault his trackwork,’’ he said.
“I think his trials have been okay and he just has to bring that to the races. After you’ve gelded them there’s not much more you can do, it’s up to him now.
“He’s found a nice race, drawn okay and at 1200m at that level he should be doing something.’’
All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday's meeting at Warwick Farm