Peter Snowden and Kerrin McEvoy set a record which may never be equalled when Benfica won the Group One TJ Smith at Eagle Farm.
Benfica bounced back from his Group Two Sires’ Produce defeat last start to give the Darley juggernaut a clean sweep of the major two-year-old features this season.
The owner, trainer and jockey partnership has won every two-year-old Group One race on offer in Australia this season, with Sepoy in the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper Stakes and Helmet in the AJC Sires’ Produce and Champagne Stakes and Benfica in the TJ Smith.
“That’s super and it’s been a huge effort,” Snowden said.
“I didn’t plan this but I was really confident we had a good crop of two-year-olds this season.
“It’s a great result for all the staff. A lot of people have done a lot of work behind the scenes.”
Snowden heaped praise on McEvoy, who only recently returned from injury.
“Kerrin was very cool under pressure especially when he got in a bit of a tight spot,” Snowden said.
McEvoy said he had only a minor concern in the run when Hot Snitzel’s rider Hugh Bowman backed off the pace coming to the home turn.
“When Hugh backed off the pace I was a bit concerned as my bloke grabbed the bridle and started to race keen,” McEvoy said.
“I was in two minds where to go but I ended up going up along the fence and he sprinted too well for them.
“Everything seem to work out in his favour this week. He had an ordinary run last week (in the Sires) but he was fine today and behaved well.”
Benfica had the race well in his keeping halfway down the straight when he cruised up on the inside of Hot Snitzel.
The son of Lonhro went on to down Hot Snitzel by 1-1/4 lengths with Playtime three lengths away third.
Snowden declared Benfica was not in the same class as Sepoy and Helmet and he would not decide his spring future until the dust settles.
“I thought Free Wheeling was better than Benfica but Sepoy and Helmet are my best two by far,” he said.
“I don’t think Benfica will make a Caulfield Guineas horse but he’ll probably still end up going to Melbourne.
“I’ll give him a spell first and think about the spring later on and I’m not sure if he’ll come back in time for the Golden Rose. That race comes around a bit too quick.”
Trainer Gerald Ryan will spell Hot Snitzel and bring him back for the latter part of the Melbourne spring carnival.
“I thought his run was a good effort considering he was taken on in front,” Ryan said.
“I think the horse that took him on finished 20 lengths last.”
AAP TURF
