The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Sheeza Belter ($5) has repaid supporters who stuck following a luckless effort in The Invitation at Randwick two weeks ago.
The Gold Standard filly has saluted in the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes at Rosehill running down early leader Lavish Girl ($7.50) by a long neck, with outsider More Secrets ($26) a further three quarters of a length back in third.
The three-year-old is building up a solid record winning five from nine overall, after starting her career out west under the care of Western Australian trainer Luke Fernie.
Co-trainer Paul Snowden explained that it had not all been smooth sailing for Sheeza Belter, with a few setbacks occurring along the way.
âThereâs no massive issues, just some infections and things like that that have taken time to get over and move on with,â Snowden said.
âUnfortunately, the work stops and basically (we) had to pull the pin at one stage and just stop and let all this settle down and go again.
âWe gave her a really good chance in The Invitation. I know it was first-up and she profiles better when she gets into her preparation, but we probably had her as good as we could leading into it two weeks ago.
âJust to see her not get any daylight at all and just trucking in behind the main wall there was very frustrating.
âHere we are back on top of the ground and sheâs winning, so full credit to her.â
Winning rider William Pike, who was in the irons for that Invitation run, believes the recent frustrations may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
âI suppose it wasnât a traditional second-up, sheâs been in work for a very long time. The stable has done a fantastic job,â Pike said.
I donât even want to know the issues theyâve had. We pulled a shoe walking out and I thought âOh, here we go.â But it might make her come on as a race horse.
âBeing held back while sheâs full of beans and having to learn to apply herself, her manners have come on in the short time Iâve been here.â
