News

May the Force be with him!

30th Aug 2025

A pair of Peter Snowden-trained 3YOs stole the limelight at Rosehill today as Raging Force (Cosmic Force) and Grand Prairie (Written Tycoon) kicked off their spring preparations in exemplary fashion.

Raging Force made it four wins on the trot with an explosive front-running victory in the G3 San Domenico Stakes while Grand Prairie led in an Inglis graduates trifecta when claiming the G3 Up And Coming Stakes.

Raging Force, a son of Newgate’s high-class sprinter and Classic Sale graduate Cosmic Force, had been one of the finds of the winter, surging through his grades as a late season 2YO.

Today was his primary test, taking on some of the best juveniles of his crop in a big step up in grade but he defeated them with aplomb in a dominant display.

Bred by Dr Richard McClenahan, Raging Force (pictured) is a $150,000 Classic Yearling Sale buy for Darby Racing from the draft of Mullaglass Stud, which McClenahan owns.

It continues a spectacular run over the past decade of Darby Racing and the Classic Sale which includes stars such as Yankee Rose, She Will Reign, Samadoubt and current leading 3YO filly Within The Law.

“That was a good test for him today because the field had a Slipper placegetter and a Blue Diamond winner and a few other horses that have shown a fair amount of ability,’’ Snowden said.

“He met A-Graders, they weren’t Benchmark horses and he’s won well.

“He’ll head to the Run To The Rose next, that will tell us whether he’ll go seven furlongs and we push onto the Golden Rose or he only wants 1200m and we stick to that.

“The good thing about this bloke is he’s not one dimensional. Whatever you throw in front of him he’ll chase and he’ll chase hard.’’

For McClenahan, who also bred G1-winning stallion and Classic Sale graduate Hellbent, Raging Force is a gift that keeps on giving.

“It’s fantastic, we’re really proud of him,’’ McClenahan said.

“He was a beautiful colt, very athletic and [my wife] Kim loved him as a young horse so when she found out Darby had bought him she jumped at the chance to retain a share in him, so we’re along for the ride on all fronts with him.

“It’s great for Mullaglass to have a headline horse like him flying the flag for the farm early in the spring, that’s for sure. It’s exciting times ahead.’’

Earlier on the program talented colt Grand Prairie (Written Tycoon) led home an Inglis graduates trifecta in the G3 Up And Coming Stakes when defeating Fermoy and Crown The King in the first 3YO feature.

Grand Prairie placed at Stakes level last start in The Rosebud and backed that up with a tenacious victory today.

The Peter Snowden-trained Grand Prairie is a graduate of the Easter Yearling Sale, where he was offered by his breeder Yulong, who retained the colt and now races him.

“It was a really good effort,’’ Snowden said of Grand Prairie.

“It was a race we pinpointed after his last run and it’s good to pull it off like that.’’