Disclaimer became the latest European import to leave his mark on Australian racing after a change in training routine produced an instant result in the Newcastle Gold Cup on Thursday.
But it wasn’t Chris Waller or Gai Waterhouse claiming another staying-race feature with a horse from the other side of the world.
Instead ,it was the training partnership of Peter Snowden and his son Paul as well as jockey Jason Collett who were celebrating after Disclaimer’s spring campaign was saved with some additional early-morning gallops.
“It took me a while to work him out,” Peter Snowden said.
“I was kind to him early because to me he wasn’t the sort of horse who you work hard.
“And I didn’t want to overcook him early in a preparation.”
When Snowden upped the ante after the five-year-old finished out of the placings in the Wyong Gold Cup, Disclaimer suddenly showed the senior of the two training partners a glimpse of the English form that attracted the attention of owner Ross Visalli.
“From Wyong on I really stepped the work up and these horses really thrive on extra work,” Snowden said.
“You can see it in their demeanour. He was eating twice as much as he was before. He’s a different horse now.”
So much so, Disclaimer is now a live chance in next month’s Metropolitan with his odds for the Group One at Randwick cut to $15 for Visalli and his fellow owners.
A successful publican, Visalli is well-known in racing circles for his association with sprinting sires Snippetson and Fast ‘N’ Famous.
But Fiorente’s win in last year’s Melbourne Cup convinced him it was time to buy something different and Disclaimer is the result of his first foray into an overseas market that continues to prop up Australia’s staying races.
After missing the start, Disclaimer ($11) recovered to settle midfield and he accelerated into the race at the 300m.
He sprinted quickly to claim the lead at the 200m and then held his finish to the winning post to beat the Waller-trained Brigantin ($15) by 1-3/4 lengths.
Wish Come True ($6) was a short half-head away third after racing three-wide for the first half of the race.
Collett’s day was soured when he fell from his mount in the race after the Cup.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding and was suspended for 10 meetings.
