A quiet summer for the Darley team in Melbourne could spring to life at Flemington on Saturday.
Limes spearheads trainer Peter Snowden’s representation at the meeting in the Listed Chester Manifold Stakes (1400m), while stablemate Adirondack is favourite for the Straight Draw Handicap (1700m).
Paximadia’s Sandown Guineas success in mid-November is Snowden’s most recent Melbourne metropolitan winner but the stable has had only 12 runners on Melbourne city tracks since then.
“A lot of the horses went out and a lot of them came to Sydney,” Snowden said.
“There’s not big numbers down there at the moment but that will crank up over the next month. Things will start to quicken up again.”
Snowden pinpointed the Chester Manifold Stakes as a suitable race for Limes who has struck a purple patch of form with a second in the Group Two Villiers Stakes followed by a confidence-boosting win at Rosehill on December 21.
“His run in the Villiers was excellent and then his next start was better,” Snowden said.
“The horse has come into form and these horses, once they strike a bit of form like that, they do get confidence from that.
“Hopefully he builds on it again on Saturday.”
Limes is on the second line of betting at $4 behind last-start Flemington winner Anlon at $3.80.
Limes arrived in Melbourne on Thursday morning and Snowden hopes his draw in barrier nine of 11 won’t prove too big a stumbling block.
“He’s drawn a bit awkward but he’s a go-forward horse and in good form,” he said.
Snowden also saw a lot to like about three-year-old Adirondack’s last-start third at Flemington over 1420m under 60kg.
Stepping up to 1700-metres on Saturday and dropping in weight to 54.5kg, he is the $4.80 favourite.
“I think going to 1700 metres is a big plus for him,” Snowden said.
“He’s drawn a nice, soft gate and I expect him to run well.”
Sindarin is the stable’s remaining Flemington runner in the Jezabeel Handicap (2000m).
Snowden said the out-of-form mare continued to work well on the training track but needed to perform on Saturday or she could be retired to the breeding barn.
Meanwhile, Breeders’ Plate runner-up Mohave arrived in Melbourne on Thursday in preparation for the Blue Diamond Preview on January 25.
Stablemate and Blue Diamond favourite Earthquake will head to Melbourne in the coming weeks for the Blue Diamond Prelude on February 8.
