Having resisted the temptation to propel Autumn Bloom straight into the Princess Series races, Peter and Paul Snowden believe the time is right to give the filly an opportunity against the cream of her age.
Placed at Group level as a juvenile, Autumn Bloom was scratched from the Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) and instead took a softer first-up path through a 1300m maiden at Hawkesbury.
Settling midfield and strong to the line, her winning margin was narrow but she executed with a bit in hand, laying a solid foundation for a return to black-type racing in Saturday’s Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
“It has set her up nicely for this race,” co-trainer Peter Snowden said.
“She’s had a few weeks in between, a little barrier trial to keep her ticking over which was good, and I’m expecting her to run well.
“We’re trying to get her to the mile, so it has been all about preparing her and conditioning her, the trials she’s had, the run she had, it’s all been about this race and possibly the next race after that.”
The Snowdens’ won the Tea Rose Stakes a few years ago with Madame Giselle, who claimed the first three legs of the Princess Series before her run came to an end over the mile of the Flight Stakes.
In Autumn Bloom, Peter Snowden says they have a very different type of filly who they expect will only hit her straps over 1400-metres and beyond.
“This filly is indicating she will appreciate seven (furlongs) to a mile so we’re about to find out on the weekend if that’s right,” he said.
“But she’s a different sort of horse to Dame Giselle, who was fast. All her runs she’s been really solid late, so the step up in trip should help her.”
The stable will have several key runners on Saturday, with Mazu to resume in The Shorts (1100m), under-rated mare My Whisper kicking off from a wide draw in the Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) and exciting colt King’s Gambit first-up at Flemington.
The latter, a Golden Slipper placegetter, has been ultra impressive at the barrier trials and while his temperament on race days has at times let him down, Snowden says they have been working hard to rectify that by taking him for several race day experiences.
“He’s been going to the races a lot of times just ‘dummying’ and not racing,” Snowden said.
“His trials have been very good so he’s going down there with his tail up.
“Straight racing is a new thing for him so it’s imperative he jumps well, relaxes early and finishes strong late and if we want to go further onto the Danehill (Stakes), onto the Coolmore, he’d want to be running well on Saturday.”
