![Three racehorses neck-and-neck down the track, jockeys leaning forward in a photo finish moment with a scoreboard in the background.] ,Not good--Oops](https://www.justhorseracing.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2298299King-Of-Roseau-734x460.jpg "2298299.jpg | Just Horse Racing")
Champion trainer Peter Snowden praised King Of Roseau’s determination and will-to-win after a thrilling finish to the Listed $250,000 Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford on Saturday.
“I could see the horse on his inside (Harry’s Yacht) making his run with King Of Roseau but I just felt he would find a way,” Snowden said.
“King Of Roseau is in a frame of mind where he just wants to win. He has always been a good sprinter but he’s gone to the next level this season.
“He’s won six of his last nine starts and he just keeps getting better.”
King Of Roseau ($6), ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, edged out Harry’s Yacht ($5) after a stirring, straight-long struggle with early leader Way To The Stars ($16) a half length away third.
Godolphin’s Kerguelen was sent out the $3.90 favourite but he was never in the race and beat only one to the line.
King Of Roseau gave Snowden his third Takeover Target Stakes after wins with Calanda (2018) and Emblems (2014) as the chestnut sprinter continued his form surge this season.
He has always been a talented sprinter but had never won at stakes level until he started his four-year-old season winning the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap at Flemington.
King Of Roseau has continued to improve since and over summer reeled off wins in the $2 million Magic Millions Cup and Group 3 Liverpool City Cup before scoring first-up in the Takeover Target Stakes.
Snowden said King Of Roseau is racing in such good form he is demanding his chance at Group 1 level in the $1 million Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on May 30 and then the $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 13.
“I deliberately missed the Sydney autumn with King Of Roseau as he had a fair bit of travelling earlier in the season then went deep into summer winning at the Gold Coast and then back at Randwick,” Snowden said.
“So, I freshened him and decided to concentrate on the Brisbane carnival.
“He will go to the Kingsford Smith Cup next and 1300m is probably his best distance, then onto the Stradbroke Handicap.”
King Of Roseau is following the same program used successfully with Think About It three years ago.
Think About It won the Liverpool City Cup, was freshened before taking out the Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford then trained on to win the Kingsford Smith Cup-Stradbroke Handicap double.
Then later that same year, Think About It returned to win the Premiere Stakes before making it nine wins in succession in The Everest.
