The trainer’s title is all but decided as Justin Snaith is well clear and should easily reclaim his champion status.
While Snaith has this season’s Met trophy in the cabinet courtesy of Jet Dark, he hasn’t really had big hitters in most of the Grade 1 or 2 races. In fact, by his standards, he may not be best armed come July Day but the Wednesday before, now that is a different matter altogether.
It may be one of those ‘benefit’ days at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth where Snaith could make a clean sweep in most of the races. He saddles multiple runners in 8 of the 9 races.
The easiest way to choose which are the best to follow, is to pick whatever Richard Fourie is riding. He gets the choice.
He could start things off with a bang in the card opener, a Maiden Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1000m, where he sends out fillies bred in the purple with eye watering price tags. Three Coins is from a family that wins quick and go on to better things soon after. She could be the first.
His best, however, comes up in Race 2, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m, where Snow Pilot should brush aside mostly inexperienced individuals and score in style.
He is out of dual Grade 1 winning mare Snowdance but unlike his mother he has taken a few runs to get his act together. He looks ready now.
In Race 3, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1600m, he sends out Harajuku who, unlike Snow Pilot, has been quick to learn what it is all about. He was most eye-catching last time when flying up for fourth and is bred to relish the mile. The only worry is that he has drawn widest but when the main danger looks to be stable companion Gravity whom Fourie has ridden before then that fades away.
Both Kimball O’Hara (Race 5) and Tothemoonandback (Race 8) are experimenting by trying ground. Snaith has given both plenty of time to mature and has quietly added them during the off-season so their tasks don’t look onerous. Tothemoonandback incidentally will be ridden by Grant Van Niekerk who also gets his fair share of winners for Snaith.
Spring Palace (Race 4) and Mucho Dinero (Race 9) are running in much more competitive races but make no mistake they are leading contenders. The former has drawn gate one which is half the battle won but again well-bred stablemates could take it.
Mucho Dinero has drawn widest but he might be Snaith’s horse for the new season. He was thought good enough to be tested against See It Again in the Splashout Cape Derby but that race looked to have come too soon.
Clive Robinson
