Trainer Gerald Ryan believes he has the ammunition in Hot Snitzel to deny Darley a clean sweep of this season’s Group One juvenile races.
The Peter Snowden-trained Benfica is shooting for Darley’s fifth two-year-old win at elite level this season in the Group One T J Smith at Eagle Farm on June 11.
The Darley-owned Benfica booked a place in the Group Two Sires’ Produce (1400m) and TJ Smith (1600m) at Eagle Farm with an impressive victory in the Listed Hampden Stakes at Doomben on Saturday.
Sepoy won the Blue Diamond Stakes and Golden Slipper for Sheikh Mohammed’s Australian operation while Helmet claimed the AJC Sires’ Produce and Champagne Stakes.
Ryan will start Hot Snitzel, who scored a runaway win for Nash Rawiller in the Listed Ken Russell Memorial at the Gold Coast 10 days ago, in Saturday’s Group Two Champagne Classic (1200m) at Doomben.
“I’m not afraid of Benfica,” declared Ryan.
“Hot Snitzel will run in the Champagne Stakes on Saturday and Corey Brown was booked last week as soon as I heard Nash (Rawiller) wouldn’t be appealing his careless riding suspension.
“I’ve got a good form line on Benfica with Schiffer who beat him at Randwick on Boxing Day.
“I’m not saying Hot Snitzel is better than Schiffer but he’s improved a lot and he was always going to improve after finishing third in the Kindergarten Stakes before he came here.”
Ryan has overlooked Hot Snitzel’s Golden Slipper failure at Randwick last month when the gelding finished 12th.
“He had a rushed campaign for the Golden Slipper and then backed up the next week to run third in the Kindergarten,” he said.
“I’ve always said he’ll be better once he gets out to 1400 and 1600 metres. He’s got a staying pedigree.”
Meanwhile Ryan has ruled out Melito taking on Black Caviar in the Group One Doomben 10,000 (1350m) on Saturday week.
“I’ll make up my mind next week but if she runs again it will be in the Stradbroke,” Ryan said.
“I’m not running scared of Black Caviar but I just felt Black Caviar would be too sharp for her over 1350 metres.”
Melito beat just one runner home in Saturday’s Group One BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben, finishing more than eight lengths from Black Caviar.
AAP TURF
