Sydney trainer Peter Snowden has entered two horses in his bid for back-to-back Black Opal Stakes wins at Canberra.
Snowden won last year’s $250,000 two-year-old feature with subsequent Group One winner Epaulette and he has nominated one colt and one filly for Sunday’s Listed race.
Epaulette was last years Black Opal Stakes winner - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
His colt Sidestep has raced just once, taking the minor placing in the Merson Cooper Stakes at the end of last year’s Victorian spring carnival.
Aspen has also faced the starter once, finishing fourth in a Warwick Farm race won by fellow Black Opal entry All The Talk.
Both Snowden youngsters are by leading Darley sire Exceed And Excel and both trialled at Randwick last week.
In an overall list of 29, Gai Waterhouse has nominated Mr Jackman while David Payne has entered Criterion, an early-season winner at Rosehill with a last-start Canonbury Stakes placing to his credit.
Supporting the Black Opal Stakes will be Canberra Centenary Cup, a $200,000 Listed race.
Hawkes Racing has entered the 2010 Melbourne Cup runner-up Maluckyday who has 59kg, 1kg less than his Sydney Cup-winning stablemate Niwot.
The meeting will also feature the National Sprint, the Canberra Guineas and the Camarena Quality Handicap.
Last-start Sydney weight-for-age winner Alma’s Fury is the 59kg topweight for the National Sprint but is expected to run in the Group One Chipping Norton Stakes at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
