Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Written by Paul Vettise
Paul Snowden left Randwick with a smile on his face after talented colt Captivant (Capitalist) delivered a dominant trial win on Tuesday morning, keeping himself in the G1 Golden Slipper S. picture.
Snowden, who prepares the youngster with his father Peter, couldn’t have been happier with the youngster, who coasted home under James McDonald to claim his 1050 metre heat by 3.3l.
“He’s going very easily and is such a relaxed horse. Everything he does is so casual so that’s a good thing and he certainly was impressive,” he said.
Captivant won the Victory Vein in the spring and was then put aside after finishing fourth in the Golden Gift. He also won a trial earlier this month and will resume in Saturday week’s G2 Skyline S. ahead of the Golden Slipper.
“The whole preparation has been around a second-up run in the Slipper and it will be three weeks between runs and it’s perfect timing,” Snowden said.
“Tom Marquand has been booked for the horse on Saturday week and Henry (Field) was rapt to have him on board. He’s the type of horse that if you keep working on him he’ll produce, which I think he will do under pressure on game day.”
Captivant was bought out of Ashleigh Thoroughbreds’ Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft for $550,000 by Newgate Farm, the China Horse Club and Starlight Racing.
Forbes’ (Capitalist) aspirations for the G2 Silver Slipper S. were put under a cloud when he failed to load at the trials for the second time at Randwick on Tuesday.
Forbes was set to line up in a 745 metre trial in order to get the green light from stewards to run in Saturday’s Rosehill race.
However, the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained colt couldn’t be loaded and had to be scratched from the trial.
Speedy pedigree
A half-brother to two winners, he is out of the Commands mare Speedboat, a half-sister to the multiple stakes winner Cross Current (Keltrice) and the family of the G1 Oakleigh Plate winner River Dove (Hurricane Sky), dam of G2 Silver Slipper S. winner and sire Headwater.
Fellow Golden Slipper hopeful Mallory (Not A Single Doubt) finished sixth in Captivant’s trial without being knocked around by rider Jason Collett on the soft track.
“She looked good to me and Jason was really happy. He said it was pretty testing out there,” co-trainer Gerald Ryan said. “She pulled up well and has got stronger since she won first-up.”
Mallory | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Mallory was placed on debut in the G3 Gimcrack S. and landed the G3 Widden S. on her return last month.
“She’ll got to the G2 Sweet Embrace S. on Saturday week and if she happened to win or run very well she will go on to the Slipper,” Ryan said.
Raced by breeder Arrowfield Stud and partners, Mallory is a half-sister to stakes winner Sassy ‘N’ Smart (Smart Missile) and their dam is out of the dual European Group 1 winner Nebraska Tornado (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}).
Farnan impresses
Meanwhile, reigning Golden Slipper champion Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) took his first serious steps to putting a forgettable spring behind him with a sharp performance to win his 1050 metre trial.
Last season’s star 2-year-old was below par last preparation when fifth in the G2 Run To The Roses S. and then failed again when unplaced in the G1 Coolmore Stud S.
However, there was an encouraging report delivered by Tim Clark after he rode the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt in his trial.
“He’s going really well and I’ve partnered him a fair bit at the track. He showed good speed and got into a nice rhythm bowling along,” he said.
“I just shook him up for a little bit of the straight, not fully extended, allowed him to quicken for a furlong and then eased down the last bit. He was able to win his trial well.”
“I just shook him (Farnan) up for a little bit of the straight, not fully extended, allowed him to quicken for a furlong and then eased down the last bit.” – Tim Clark
Farnan had 1.3l to spare on the post from Mark Newnham’s new recruit The Irishman (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), who was a winner from Tony Pike’s Cambridge yard and a last-start second when last seen in the Listed Uncle Remus S. at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
Clark said Farnan had strengthened during a break and had further improvement to come.
“He hasn’t grown any taller, but he has definitely thickened up a bit. He’s had a bit more time and had a good blow after his trial so he’s got a bit to go condition-wise.
“I think they are planning on giving him another trial before he resumes.”
Farnan is slated to return in the G1 The Galaxy at Rosehill on Golden Slipper S. Day.
“I think he’s back to somewhere near his best. He’s such a cool customer and very easy to work with,” Clark said.
“You wouldn’t know he was a colt, he’s happy to stand next to the fillies and nothing seems to worry him. That sort of attitude helps him to be as good as he is.”
