Peter & Paul Snowden currently have the equal favourites for Saturday’s $2 million feature event at the Gold Coast, with long-time favourite Empire Of Japan joined at the head of the market by Sovereign Fund.
Combined, their three runners take up over 40% of the market and yet that pales in comparison to their team in 2016, as star two-year-old Capitalist started $1.40 and won in a canter, with stablemate Niccolance running fourth at $10.
While they may not have a horse of the elite quality of Capitalist just yet, Paul Snowden, who trains in partnership with his father Peter, is confident the best is yet to come with Sovereign Fund, who was a 3.5 length winner at Doomben last start.
“I don’t think he’s run his best race this preparation, he’s had a great two weeks from Doomben, he’s been down here on the Gold Coast with me for the last ten days and all he’s done is thrive. I know he hasn’t run his best race this preparation,” Snowden said.
That confidence has been echoed by the market with Sovereign Fund into $5.50 equal pick with the TAB as Empire Of Japan just drifted slightly to the same mark, and Snowden similarly has little between the pair.
“He just needed a run to get him to where we are today, so three weeks ago his work was sharp as, the sectionals and data from the race were absolutely outstanding and proved to be one of the best of the day,” said Snowden.
The stable’s third chance, Godfather, finished behind Empire Of Japan when they met at Randwick, but Snowden believes there were excuses for an immature horse still learning his craft.
“He’s not an aggressive horse but we sent him that signal when he won at Eagle Farm just to jump and lead and unfortunately that’s what he wanted to do second up… we’ve tinkered with a little bit of gear, he’ll wear a noseband on Saturday,” said Snowden.
While Sovereign Fund led throughout last start and Empire Of Japan got back in the field, Snowden isn’t worried by barriers, the former drawing wide in 17 and the latter in 11, with Godfather in 20.”It’s okay, they all pop in a couple with the emergencies… I’ve got horses that can take a spot in a race, they don’t need to be dictated to by pace or anything like that so I’m quite comfortable… I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Snowden said.