News

Hot Snitzel set to sizzle in T.J. Smith Classic

5th Jun 2011

Courier Mail - Nathan Exelby - Sunday, 5 June 2011

HOT Snitzel landed a plunge, while those supporting the Darley juggernaut were left licking their wounds after a dramatic BRC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) yesterday.

Hot Snitzel was backed from $6 to $4 and never looked in doubt, strolling home by three lengths.

But the race took on an entirely different complexion when Corey Brown's mount Free Wheeling ($4.40) reared at the start, became jammed in the gates and took no part in the race.

Brown said he felt the horse reared a fraction before the stalls opened, but Chief Steward Wade Birch said: "stewards believe Free Wheeling had the same opportunity as every other horse to jump away" and declared him a runner.

The incident also took care of race favourite Benfica ($3.10), who was drawn next to his stablemate and was slowly away, although he did lose ground in the run to the line after looming fleetingly at the 300m.

"We wanted to be in the first three or four, but he took fright when Browny's horse went off and we were never in the right spot," Benfica jockey Kerrin McEvoy said.

Despite the drama, nothing could be taken away from Hot Snitzel, who is now likely to run favourite in next week's T.J. Smith Classic (1600m).

It puts brothers Chris and Michael Ward on the verge of a breakthrough Group 1 win for their Triple Crown Syndications.

Triple Crown secured Hot Snitzel for $60,000 at last year's Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

Michael Ward said the family had enjoyed Group 1 success with Lotteria but were still hunting for the top level win under the Triple Crown banner.

"It's good to see him return to the form he had on the Gold Coast. It was a good field today and the strength has been building each week into the carnival," Ward said.

"He was very dominant and it's very exciting. He's very tough and is the sort of horse you can back up the next week, which is ideal for going into the T.J."

Multiple stakes winner Patronyme is previously the best performed horse to race in the prominent red and white colours.

Winning rider Hugh Bowman has no doubts Hot Snitzel will cope with the 1600m in the T.J.

"When I got him into clear running, I was supremely confident and he just took the race," Bowman said.

"He's a horse that races better when he has plenty of room and that was an impressive performance."