Promising colt Knoydart showed why his trainer rated him close to unbeatable at Warwick Farm on Wednesday with a win that promises to be a springboard to autumn carnival targets.
It might have only been a midweek maiden but the Peter Snowden-trained colt put his opposition away by five lengths in the Australian Turf Club Handicap (1300m).
“He was as good a thing as you could get but as I said before there’s no such thing as a certainty,” Snowden said.
“For what I’ve got ahead for him he had to win like that today.”
A three-year-old by More Than Ready out of Group One winner Regal Cheer, Knoydart has had his injury problems that have restricted him to just three starts.
“He’s had a lot of problems with his joints but touch wood, he’s OK at the moment,” Snowden said.
Knoydart came into the Warwick Farm event on the back of a first-up second at Canterbury and had little trouble racing away from his rivals despite carrying 59kg.
Snowden believes the colt can take quantum steps and will consider whether to take him straight to stakes company instead of another restricted grade start.
“It’s the perfect time for him if he’s good enough,” Snowden said.
“You’ve got Group races coming up in a couple of weeks, races like the Royal Sovereign Stakes.
“I’ll have to have a good think about it but I definitely think he’s up to that grade.
“I’ve got the option now of a Benchmark 75 for three-year-olds in Sydney on Australia Day or there’s the Zeditave Stakes at Caulfield.”
Knoydart’s victory was followed up by a smart debut from the heavily-backed Chris Waller-trained juvenile Mamwaazel in the Pro-Ride Handicap (1200m).
Mamwaazel firmed from $3.30 to $2.50 late in betting before going on to score by 1-3/4 lengths over Rockford.
“She’s a very nice filly and has been professional all the way through,” Waller’s stable foreman Peter Muscutt said.
The day didn’t turn out as good for Port Macquarie trainer Neil Godbolt.
Shamekha’s Choice, runaway winner of his three starts in the country this time in, was well-backed to start at $1.45 in the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1000m) but was reeled in late to finish third.
Because he bled from both nostrils, Shamekha’s Choice was banned from racing for three months.
“It’s very disappointing, but these things happen in racing,” Godbolt said.
“His run was good under the circumstances.”
