Snitzel Dancer justified the faith trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou have in the filly when she broke through at stakes level to win the Group 3 $250,000 James HB Carr Stakes (1400m).
Ryan admitted he was mystified when Snitzel Dancer in successive Warwick Farm starts to start her campaign.
But after she rebounded with an impressive win at Hawkesbury, Ryan and Alexiou set their sights on the Carr Stakes.
“This filly shows us a lot at home so we couldn’t work out what happened in those two Warwick Farm runs,” Ryan said.
“It’s possible she just doesn’t like Warwick Farm because she was back to her best at Hawkesbury.
“I know she was big odds today but we were confident she would run very well. I told the owners she would finish top three.”
Snitzel Dancer ($21), ridden by Kerrin Mcevoy, finished powerfully to win by nearly a length from a game Plaintiff ($2.15 favourite) who endured a wide run albeit with cover and did well to finish a close second, while Karinska ($7.50) was held up for a run in the straight before charging through to finish a half length away third.
Ryan said Snitzel Dancer has earned her place in the stable’s Brisbane winter carnival team with the Group 1 Queensland Oaks the target.
“We will go to perhaps the Guineas against the boys or the Bracelet on the Gold Coast, because I’ve always believed this filly will run 2000 metres.
“The Oaks is only 2200m, but we’ll just see how she’s going. We won’t stretch her too far.
“It’s good to see her live up to what she’s shown all the way along.”
McEvoy said Snitzel Dancer gives him the impression she will get out over further.
“She hit the line strongly late and will get 1600m at least,” McEvoy said.
“I think she’ll stay further because she’s such a nice attitude. She’ll keep developing and no doubt strengthen a bit more.
“If Gerald and Sterling want to head towards the Oaks, then it’s worth a try because she’s a promising filly who is only going to get better.”
Plaintiff was going for her fifth win from as many starts and didn’t disappoint jockey Jordan Childs.
“She has gone extremely well,” Childs said.
“We had a nice run in transit, got into the three wide moving line and travelled up like the winner. “She probably just didn’t quicken up as good as she did the other day, being fresh. This was her first go 1400m I thought it was a good run.”
