The Peter Snowden stable had to wait until the end of the day to lead in a winner at Rosehill with Celts but are hoping it is the start of a successful night with Sepoy and Helmet lining up at the rich Dubai World Cup meeting.

Celts

Celts (pictured second from the left) wins the Birthday Card Stakes at Rosehill in a close finish - photo (c) Steve Hart

Jockey Christian Reith timed his run to perfection to get Celts home by a nose from Next To Universe in the Group 3 $125,000 Ascend Sales Birthday Card Stakes (1200m) for fillies and mares.

Reith rode a patience race and brought Celts ($6.50) through the middle of the field to score an overdue win for the stable with stable mate Divorces running a mighty race to wind up third after missing the start.

The Peter Moody trained Curtana ($5eq fav) loomed up out wide in the straight before finishing sixth just behind the placegetters.

Stable foreman Brad Widdup said Celts was an honest mare and dug deep to get the nod in a close finish.

“She dug deep and it was a good effort. That’s her, she tries her heart out,” Widdup said.

Widdup said that the stable will be looking for more black type races for Celts and Divorces after she put in an eye catching run first up.

Reith said that Celts had been going well on the track and he wasn’t surprised when she was to hold out in a tight driving finish.

“We’ve always had confidence in the horses and they just had to produce. She’s been going well at home, so it was good to see her do that,” Reith said.

“It was good class of fillies and mares her and she done well.”

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.