There is probably not a horse that has spent as much time on a float as JJ Atkins winner Sheeza Belter, but fresh from a break she is ready to chase a feature in a third state this year in Saturday’s The Invitation at Randwick.
Sheeza Belter started her racing life in Western Australia and after winning the West’s version of the Magic Millions at Pinjarra in February, her owners decided to send her to Peter and Paul Snowden.
Paul Snowden is confident Sheeza Belter can match the older mares in the Invitation at Randwick on Saturday.Credit:Getty
“For a young filly, she is very tough because she had a three-day float trip over here and ran in the Percy Sykes Stakes a month later,” Paul Snowden said. “She had a week off on her way over and then continued on to Brisbane and won a group 1. You don’t find fillies like her.
“That was another thousand kilometres up and back, but she thrived on it.
“She showed up there, she has a big sprint and that 1400m-to-the-mile is her best trip, so when got the offer of this race it was ideal.”
Sheeza Belter enjoyed the firmer ground at Eagle Farm and was too strong from back in the field in the BRC Sires Produce Stakes before taking the JJ Atkins over the mile in a similar fashion.
‘She had a three-day float trip over here and ran in the Percy Sykes Stakes a month later.’
She’s Extreme trainer Paul Snowden
It was no surprise Sheeza Belter has taken until now to be seen during Sydney’s rich spring, but she gets a chance to take on the older mares for $2 million on Saturday.
“She came over here for an opportunity, and she is already a group 1 winner, so we were very careful with her to make sure she was ready,” Snowden said.
“We were able to get her right for it. It’s a big task taking on these older mares but she gets in pretty well under the conditions of the race with only 54 kilos as a group 1 winner.
“We are not worried about the 1400m first-up because the tempo of these races suit her better than sprints because they get her out of her comfort zone.
“We hope the weather stays away because she is better on a firmer track. She has got the soft draw in one and [jockey] Willie Pike, who knows her very well. If she can relax and really let go, she is a better chance than most think.”
Sheeza Belter is one of three group 1 winners in The Invitation and was $13 to $11 on Wednesday in an open betting race, where last year’s winner Icebath is the $5 top pick, just in front of Espiona, Forbidden Love and Nimalee at $6.
Meanwhile, premier trainer Chris Waller has decided Nature Strip will miss the race named in his honour as last year’s Everest winner at Rosehill next week, in order to defend his title in the Champions Sprint at Flemington on November 5.
Nature Strip has pleased Waller since his brave fourth to Giga Kick in The Everest last weekend but opted for the long break between runs for the eight-year-old sprinter.
“He has obviously had great success up the straight in recent years,” Waller said in a statement.
“This allows us to give him three weeks between runs as we believe that he is more effective with his races spaced.
“[It] will continue to give longevity and enable Nature Strip to race on for another year.”
