Don’t believe everything you read, some like to say, and in many instances that can carry true.
One of those examples applies to Nitro where the stewards report noted that the last start beaten favourite’s ‘manners’ cost a better result in the race.
It is easy to interpret one way, but as Peter Snowden quickly corrects, that was not quite the case in the fourth placed effort at Randwick over 1400m on June 6.
“There is nothing wrong with his manners, he’s a perfect gentleman,” Snowden said.
“He had head gear and he pulled. All the talk was that we had him up close, we tried that and all he did was pull the whole way.
“That is not like him and there was a lot of merit in the run.”
The promising three-year-old lines up in the Schweppes Handicap (1600m) at Randwick as the $3 favourite according to leading Aussie betting sites on Saturday with Tommy Berry aboard for the first time on a race day having ridden the son of Deep Field in two barrier trials before the winning debut.
“The visors have come off him and we’ve put the winkers on just to make him focus,” Snowden added.
“He’s a lazy horse at home so just so he doesn’t switch off too much but certainly not to be pulling like last time.
“On the day he just pulled a bit, that’s all.”
Snowden also has Xidaki returning from a long break in the Cactus Imaging Handicap (1200m) with the five-year-old eyeing a trip north for the Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at Sunshine Coast on July 4.
The blinkers come off the five-year-old gelding who steps out on race day for the first time since January 10.
“He’s a very consistent horse but just last few preps have been just below that he normally does,” Snowden said.
“So, I thought a good long spell might just bring back to his straps. I’ve been happy with his two trials but it does take a while to get them up to peak fitness after a long break.
“Unfortunately he has drawn a really bad gate (15) but I just want him to show us that eagerness and keenness that he had.”
