The rollercoaster of training and owning horses is something Peter and Paul Snowden and Triple Crown Syndications are well used to, but a ten-minute time frame between a huge high and a gutting low is something entirely new.
Snowden's promising 3-year-old Military Zone (Epaulette) had barely been unsaddled after his win in Triple Crown's colours in the G3 Blacktown Workers Club Group Hawkesbury Guineas when their champ Redzel (Snitzel) contested the G2 TAB Victory S. at Eagle Farm.
While expectations were high that he could rebound from a couple of sub-par runs at Group 1 level during the Sydney autumn, Redzel was run down late by I Am Excited (Snitzel) and his immediate racing plans are under a cloud.
"That's not the Redzel we know." - Peter Snowden
"We'll find more out about him tomorrow, but he definitely won’t go to the Doomben 10,000," Peter Snowden said. "There's a problem there somewhere we need to find out what is wrong. That's not the Redzel we know."
It was a sour aftertaste to Military Zone's success at Hawkesbury.
But the 3-year-old may deliver some Queensland redemption for the Snowdens and Triple Crown after maintaining his perfect second-up record with a narrow victory over Trope (More Than Ready {USA}).
Snowden was full of praise for the ride of James McDonald after the race.
"He had a gun run. It was the difference between winning and losing - James' ride," he said. "We had a soft run and so did Trope but to his credit our horse dug deep."
"I thought if he was competitive here it would be a good pointer to Brisbane." - Peter Snowden
"He is a Brisbane type of horse and this is a good stepping stone. I thought if he was competitive here it would be a good pointer to Brisbane."
"He used to over-race but he is a lot more relaxed now and there are plenty of races for him."
Military Zone was a $140,000 buy for Triple Crown at the Melbourne Premier Sale in 2017, with his dam a half-sister to two stakes winners and hailing from the family of Group 1 winner Toorak Toff.
Having won two of his first three starts, he was a creditable fifth at just his fourth start in the G3 Up and Coming S. last August. Sent for a spell, he won the G3 Gosford Guineas at his second-start back last campaign and now has a second stakes success to his name.
Epaulette is currently fourth on the second season sire premiership by prizemoney, with his best horse, three-time Group 1 winner Soqrat, racing in South Africa.
Military Zone as a yearling
Creator lives up to pricetag
He was one of a winning treble for the Snowdens at Hawkesbury with $1.5m colt Creator (Redoute's Choice) breaking his maiden tag in the TAB Clarendon S. earlier in the day and Signore Fox (Exceed and Excel) winning the final race.
Creator, owned by James Harron Bloodstock and a host of other high-profile investors, is also likely to head towards Brisbane for a possible shot at the G1 JJ Atkins S.
"He is going to make his presence felt after that win today and the time he ran." - Peter Snowden
"He's always shown us something but has always looked like he was going to need some time, but time isn't your best friend when you've got a colt with a pedigree like he has," Snowden said.
"He is going to make his presence felt after that win today and the time he ran."
"There are some options in Brisbane which we will be targeting but he needed to win today to give us the confidence to go to Brisbane."
Creator is a three-quarter brother to Group 2 winner Sister Madly (Redoute's Choice), out of Silla Regalis (Enosta De Lago), who is also a half-sister to Hong Kong champion Silent Witness (El Moxie).
The Snowdens other winner Signore Fox notched his fourth win of his 14th start career and his trainers have loftier goals in store after his win in a BM78 on Saturday.
All three of Snowdens' winners were ridden by McDonald, who also rode Major Danger (Time Thief) to victory in the Tab Highway Hcp to make it four winners on the Hawkesbury card.
