The Peter and Paul Sowden training partnership is again looking to jockey Jim Byrne as they try to end a frustrating run in the Stradbroke Handicap.
There is no jockey more experienced in Brisbane Group One races than Byrne who has had 13 previous rides in the Stradbroke for a 1999 win on Adam.
More importantly he won last month’s Doomben 10,000 for the Snowdens on Redzel.
Byrne was expected to ride the Toby Edmonds-trained The Virginian in Saturday’s $1.5 million Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) at Doomben but when that horse was made an emergency, he switched to the Snowden-trained Gold Symphony.
The Snowdens have won close to 50 stakes races since they formed their partnership in 2014 but the Stradbroke has eluded them.
“It has been a race where we haven’t had much luck over the years,” Paul Snowden said.
Peter Snowden had five Stradbroke starters when he was head trainer for Darley (now Godolphin) with his best result Beaded’s second to Sincero in 2011.
The family partnership has had three Stradbroke runners without a placegetter.
Paul Snowden said Gold Symphony could be the right type of horse to break their drought.
The gelding ran a first up-third behind Stradbroke favourite Clearly Innocent in the Scone Cup at his most recent start on May 13.
“We gave Gold Symphony a trial last Friday which he won to keep him up to the mark,” Snowden said.
He said he and his father had taken a punt Gold Symphony would make the Stradbroke field and did not accept with him in last week’s Group Two Moreton Cup.
“He is in the Stradbroke now and he is drawn perfectly,” Snowden said.
“He will probably start from barrier three if the emergencies don’t get a start.
“Of course having Jim ride him is a bonus. It would obviously great to win two Group One races at Doomben with Jim in the one season.”
Gold Symphony wears the red and white colours of Triple Crown Syndications sported by Redzel and 2015 BTC Cup winner Hot Snitzel, also trained by the Snowden team.
The stable has Taking Aim in the Group One J J Atkins Stakes and he is coming off a well-beaten second to New Zealand filly Melody Belle in the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes to weeks ago.
“Back on a good track and at Doomben he gets a chance but has a tricky barrier (13),” Snowden said.
