Fresh from a Group 1 win on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, Darley trainer Peter Snowden is sending a small team to Perth for the Summer Carnival in search of his first Group 1 success in Western Australia.
Pinwheel will target the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Even though a contingent of Darley horses, including last Saturday’s Group 1 $1m Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) winner Mental is due to be shipped to England to join the European arm of Sheikh Mohammed’s racing empire, Snowden still has plenty in reserve to tackle the feature races at the major carnivals.
Snowden will be sending top sprinter Pinwheel, up and coming miler Galah and three year Academus to contest Perth major races over the Carnival.
Pinwheel will be set for the Group 1 $500,000 Crown Perth-Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot on November 24 and Snowden’s Sydney foreman Brad Widdup said that the seven year old has done well since finishing seventh to Moment Of Change in the Group 1 $400,000 Clamms Seafood Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 30.
“He’s doing well and we just hope to get him over there in one piece and have another crack at getting a Group One with him,” Widdup said.
“He deserves to win one but he’s probably running out of chances.”
Pinwheel has been very consistent over his long career and even though he has earned over one million dollars in prizemoney, including two wins at Group 2 level, is yet to collect a Group 1.
Galah will be put to the test again in Group 1 company after struggling as a three year old at that level and will be aimed at the Group 1 $1m Carlton Draught Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 24.
The Redoute’s Choice four year old was narrowly beaten last Saturday when second to Good Value in a 1600m restricted race at Flemington at his third run back from a spell and will go Perth very fit.
While the three year old Academus showed he is up to the top level against his own age after finishing third to Sizzling in the Group 1 $500,000 Patinack Farm T J Smith (1600m) at Eagle Farm during the Brisbane Winter Carnival with his main mission being the Group 2 $350,000 W.A. Guineas (1600m) at Ascot on November 24.
“Academus raced OK and carried a bit of weight,” Widdup said.
“He got a bit lost in his first start that way of going but the experience would have done him the world of good.
“He’s still raw but is a horse with a lot of ability. As long as he comes through the race well he’ll be going over for the Guineas.
“It’s a $350,000 race.”
Academus resumed after his Winter campaign with an easy win in a Hawkesbury maiden before heading to Melbourne to finish fourth to Eximius in the Listed $150,000 Hilton Hotels Stakes (1400m) at Flemington last Saturday.
