Peter Snowden will be testing the waters for a Brisbane winter carnival campaign when lightly-raced The Owl steps out again at Rosehill on Saturday.
The three-year-old has won his past two starts, including a victory at Rosehill on New Year’s Eve, and Snowden is looking at setting the colt for the Brisbane winter which could include a Queensland Derby tilt.
“He’s progressed well and I’ve always had a bit of an opinion of him,” Snowden said.
“It was no surprise to see him go well the other day and I think he should do a similar thing tomorrow.”
Snowden has seven runners engaged at the Rosehill meeting but labelled The Owl as the Darley team’s leading hope on the eight-race card.
The markets agree as The Owl is the $2.25 TAB Sportsbet favourite in the Ranvet Handicap (1500m) ahead of the Chris Waller-trained Daymo at $4.
The Owl, to be ridden by stable jockey Kerrin McEvoy, will be having his fourth start this preparation and Snowden doesn’t want to push the colt too far in his first racing campaign.
“I’ll see what he does tomorrow, but it’s his first preparation and he’s probably had too many runs already to keep going to the autumn,” Snowden said.
“Certainly Brisbane is being considered but I’ll assess him after tomorrow.”
Four-year-old Peck hasn’t quite lived up to Snowden’s expectations this time around but the trainer believes the gelding is in the right race to make his presence felt on Saturday.
Peck is the $3.60 second favourite in the Action Business Coach Handicap (2400m) on the back of a last-start fourth as favourite over 1900m at the same track.
“I think he got to the front too early the other day,” Snowden said.
“He got to the front when they were straightening which is too early for him.
“Tomorrow he’s up to 2400 metres and he’s fourth-up so he’s as good as I’m going to get him.”
In the Australian Turf Club Plate (1100m) for two-year-olds, Snowden will be represented by debutant Treaty who finished third in a recent Randwick barrier trial.
The son of Strategic is a full-relation to stakeswinner Desuetude but Snowden said he was much smaller than his brother.
“He’s gone OK in his trials, he’s not a big horse and is still a bit immature,” the trainer said.
AAP TURF
