By Craig Kerry
Peter Snowden always tries to take decent chances to the Scone Cup carnival, when he heads back to where it all started for him.
And while he could not get a runner into the traditional headline race on Friday, the champion trainer is confident his team, especially Akaysha, have the form to deliver wins on Saturday’s standalone card.
Akaysha (left) battles with Grand Eagle last start when second at Randwick. Credit: Getty Images
Akaysha spearheads the Scone born and bred horseman’s hopes in the listed Woodlands Stakes (1100m) for two-year-old fillies, in which he also has Miss Freelove.
Akaysha has the distinction of beating Snowden’s boom Snitzel colt Beadman, which won the group 3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic at the Gold Coast last Saturday by a remarkable eight lengths.
Beadman’s brilliant win, after a strong victory at Newcastle, has put him into the market for the $20 million The Everest (1200m), but Snowden was looking at three-year-old features when the rising star returns from a spell.
“It’s crazy saying that,” he said of Beadman being in The Everest discussion. “But, I mean, he is a talented horse.
“The Coolmore is the race we are looking at, but there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge before then. The San Domenico Stakes will probably be his first one back, then there’s the Run to the Rose, the Golden Rose.”
While Beadman goes for a break, Akaysha gives Snowden another two-year-old for stakes targets.
The Capitalist filly followed the debut win at Kembla over Beadman with a second to the impressive Grand Eagle at Randwick.
Akaysha, with Tom Sherry to ride, has drawn out in barrier 13 of 16, but Snowden was not concerned. She is the $3.90 Sportsbet favourite.
Fire Star wins at Rosehill in November, one of four straight victories last preparation.Credit: Getty Images
“They’re both in with a good shot,” Snowden said of his Woodlands pair. “She’s got great form, Akaysha. She beat Beadman at her first start, and then the second start, she got caught right on the line.
“It’s not a bad start [the 1100m at Scone]. It’s about a three-furlong straight run to the first corner, so barriers don’t make a big difference there.”
Miss Freelove ($7.50), with Kerrin McEvoy aboard, has gate one and is a last-start winner at Canterbury on a heavy 9 track. Scone was rated a soft 5 on Thursday with the chance of minor showers to come.
“Her first start at Warwick Farm was a good run, and she won really well the other day at Canterbury,” Snowden said. “But I’d say she’s a really good wet-tracker. She works terrific here on the wet tracks, so if they get a wet track up there, that will bring her right into it. But in her own right, she’s got a good hope.”
Wave Breaker ($20) represents the stable in the listed Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m) for three-year-old fillies and Snowden was confident she could fire. She was strong through the line to just fall short of One Destiny last start at Warwick Farm and has since had a trial.
“She’s been set for this race all the way through,” he said. “She had a nice run first up; she only got beaten half an inch. I was going to run her the other day, but I thought I’d just trial her instead. She’s as good as we can get her.”
Fire Star ($31) was another runner Snowden thought could defy the odds. The four-year-old gelding won four races in a row last preparation and returned with a fifth at Canterbury, then last in the Hawkesbury Gold Rush on heavy going.
“Just forget the run [at Hawkesbury],” he said. “It was horrendous. He missed the start, went straight back on the fence, so just forget it went around. You’ll see a better horse on Saturday. Andrew Adkins is on, and he knows him well.”
Zealously, which Snowden scratched last Saturday at Gosford, was the $3.80 favourite for race six, a benchmark 78 handicap.
“The track was too wet the other day, so I’m looking for a better track hopefully,” he said. “I’ve won three or four Scone Cups, and we always try and take something decent up there.
“The two-year-olds have a good chance, the filly in the Denise’s Joy has a chance, and Zealously, but it’s bloody hard to win a race up there.”
