A Schweppervescence Stakes win was the launching pad to Group One success for Skilled and trainer Peter Snowden hopes a repeat is in store with two-year-old Champollion.
The Snowden-trained Skilled took out the Schweppervescence (1400m) on Golden Slipper day three years ago before finishing second in the Sires’ Produce Stakes and winning the Group One Champagne Stakes (1600m).
Champollion - Photo by Steve Hart
The Champagne Stakes in three weeks is also the target for Champollion after he scored by a short-neck in Saturday’s Group Three contest at Rosehill, despite jockey Christian Reith saying the colt wasn’t comfortable in the wet conditions.
Snowden said he would consider whether the colt backs up in the Sires’ Produce next week or heads straight to the Champagne.
“I don’t know about the Sires’ but definitely the Champagne is a big option,” Snowden said.
Champollion ($20) had just a few behind him turning for home but worked his way through the field in the straight to defeat Ideal Guide ($20) with a neck to Rightoncue ($11) third.
“He showed today what he’s been showing us at home for quite a while,” Snowden said.
“And this is a good race too. It has thrown up some pretty handy horses and something can usually bounce from this and go on and win better races.”
Reith said the plan was to be closer to the speed but when the colt wasn’t able to hold his spot on the slow going, he elected to drift further back to get him to travel.
“I never let him go until I really had to because once I did I thought he would start stumbling, which he did. He should have just kicked away from them but he just couldn’t because of the wet track,” Reith said.
