No Blinkers For Rose Of Choice In Summoned Stakes

Co-trainer Paul Snowden has revealed that talented mare Rose Of Choice will not wear blinkers in the 2015 Summoned Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.

Rose Of Choice finished second behind Mahara in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Rose Of Choice finished second behind Mahara in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Rose Of Choice has worn blinkers in the majority of her race starts to date, but Snowden told Racing Ahead this morning that the stable have elected to take the shades off the Choisir mare for the Summoned Stakes after she overraced slightly when second behind stablemate Mahara in the Group 3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on November 4.

“A key change for her on Saturday is the blinkers off, just to get her to relax up to 1500 and if she can do so off a pretty good draw she is going to be in the mix,” Snowden said.

“I think she will be in the first three pairs and it is pretty important that she gets a bit of cover.

“You don’t have to drag her back too far and off that soft draw hopefully we can take advantage of it.

“I think she is looking for a bit further now and 1500 metres certainly suits her on Saturday.”

Rose Of Choice made her racing debut in Perth under the care of Bruce Watkins and Gary Hitchcock and the five-year-old was a consistent performer in Listed company; winning the Listed Jungle Dawn Classic (1400m) and finishing second in both the Listed Jungle Mist Classic (1200m) and Listed La Trice Classic (1800m) during the 2013 Perth Summer Racing Carnival.

She joined the Snowden team in September and made her racing debut on the Eastern seaboard with a close third behind Avoid Lightning in the Group 3 Nivison Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 18 before he close second on Melbourne Cup Day and Snowden admits that he has been surprised with just how well the mare has performed in her first racing preparation outside of Western Australia.

“We obviously didn’t know much about her,” Snowden said.

“The filly had performed at Stakes level over there, but it is always a big step when you come across and I think it was good that she ran well first-up and she backed it up with a good solid second behind Mahara in Cup week.”

Rose Of Choice is currently available at 2014 Summoned Stakes odds of $4.20 and is a narrow favourite from Politeness ($4.60), Belle De Coeur ($5.50) and Estonian Princess ($8).

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.