News

Snitzerland Strikes In Danehill

8th Sep 2012

Racing And Sports - Saturday, 8 September 2012

Snitzerland has made it two from two this campaign with a narrow success as the well supported favourite in Saturday’s Group 2 Danehill Stakes at Flemington.

Clearly the class runner of the field on paper, Snitzerland duly saluted in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) although didn’t get everything her own way.

Snitzerland was ridden with cover early on behind the likes of Psychic Mick and Pronto Pronto however there were nervous moments for favourite punters when a gap failed to open up.

Jockey Damien Oliver was forced to steer the filly back to the inside where she commenced a stride for stride battle with Stralia.

Class did prevail in the end with the margin a Long Neck over Stralia, Peter Snowden’s Rusambo finished third.

“We went out there with the idea if we could get cover we would ride her with cover because of the wind,” winning trainer Gerald Ryan said.

“Corey [Brown] has always maintained that she is a better chaser and Damien [Oliver] picked that up looking through her tapes.

“I was happy, the result was there, she won.

“There were a couple of good, big, strong colts in there. The second horse [Stralia], Damien said he was a bit frightened of it because he got off him to ride her [Snitzerland] and he has a good opinion of him.

“She got the job done.”

The Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 28 will be Snitzerland’s next assignment with the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on November 3 her main goal this spring.

“It’s back to fillies grade now,” Ryan said.

“She’s beaten the colts and she’ll go back to fillies company at set weights in three weeks.

The Coolmore has always been her aim. If we think she needs another run we will go to the Blue Sapphire, if we think she doesn’t we’ll to the Coolmore fresh up after five weeks.”

Snitzerland (3f Snitzel-Monte Rosa) was bred by Arrowfield Stud and sold from Bellerive Stud’s draft at the 2011 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for $125,000.