Golden Slipper favourite Earthquake has returned to her Warwick Farm stable and trainer Peter Snowden is delighted with the way that she has come through a brief freshen up.
Earthquake will be given the opportunity to become just the sixth juvenile to win the Blue Diamond Stakes and the Golden Slipper in the same year. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Snowden elected to give Earthquake a week away from the stable following her victory in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 22, but told Sky Racing HQ that he was very mindful that he didn’t let the Exceed And Excel filly get too far away from her peak condition in the lead-up to the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5.
“She is back in, she came back yesterday, and she will do a bit of light pace work tomorrow,” Snowden said.
“She looks sensational and I am really happened with how she has gone.
“The freshen up wasn’t needed looking at her, but there is quite a gap between runs so I thought I would give her six or seven days out.
“She only had two runs; she had a soft barrier trial, her first run was pretty easy and her second run didn’t take much out of her at all.
“It was a different preparation altogether, but I am mindful that she is still on the way up and I want to keep her improving and hopefully we will have her better in three or four weeks’ time.”
Earthquake is set to return to the races in the Group 2 Reisling Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22 – following the same path as Samaready did after she won the 2012 edition of the Blue Diamond Stakes.
No horse in history has ever completed the Blue Diamond Stakes, Reisling Stakes and Golden Slipper treble, but Snowden believes that the Reisling Stakes is the best lead-up for Earthquake heading into the $3.5 million race.
“She will run two weeks before the Slipper,” Snowden said.
“It is just a nice time frame for her and it is just two weeks from Saturday into the race and two weeks from there into the Slipper.”
Snowden is chasing his second win in the Golden Slipper after winning the 2011 edition of the race with Sepoy, finishing second with Sidestep in 2013 and third with Portillo in 2008.
