The Group One Sires’ Produce Stakes has been a happy hunting ground for Peter and Paul Snowden and they hope their luck continues when they start up to three runners in the $1 million race.
The Snowdens, who have won four of the past eight editions of the two-year-old feature, will be represented by Strasbourg, Bullet Fly and possibly Rome, although he is likely to be scratched if the track is heavy.
Strasbourg will be on a seven-day back-up after finishing second to Saturday’s rival Bellevue Hill in The Schweppervescence and Paul Snowden believes that will suit the robust son of top stallion I Am Invincible.
“He’s quite a gross horse and the back-up will do him the world of good,” Snowden said.
“I thought he ran quite well, obviously he’s better suited on top of the ground and while we’re not going to get that, we’re going to get a better surface than at Rosehill.
“He’s had a bit of a tag on him all the way through, he just needs to justify that.”
Last-start Newcastle maiden winner Bullet Fly might appear outclassed on paper, but Snowden says the youngster has a solid foundation for the race.
Significantly, the stable had the option to run him at Rosehill last week but opted to test him against the top tier two-year-olds at Randwick.
“We could have run him last Saturday but we decided, you know what? Let’s just give him a go at 1400 in the Group One’ and here we are,” Snowden said.
“He’s missed all these heavy track runs. It’s his third run at 1400 metres this preparation and he just keeps improving.”
Five horses who contested the Golden Slipper will line up in the second leg of the juvenile triple crown, including the first two placegetters Kiamichi and Microphone.
But it was Slipper fourth placegetter Loving Gaby who held top market billing on Friday at $4.80 with Strasbourg the highest rated of the Snowden trio at $19.
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