Experience is Divine for promising Snowden youngster

Experience is invaluable when it comes to early two-year-old races and co-trainer Peter Snowden says that will help Divine Glory in her quest to post a first career win at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

Trainers: PAUL and PETER SNOWDEN.
Trainers: PAUL and PETER SNOWDEN. Picture: Racing and Sports

The Peter and Paul Snowden stable has hit the ground running this season with its two-year-olds, winning the Breeders' Plate with Empire Of Japan and the Debutant Stakes in Melbourne with King's Gambit over the past two weekends.

And the father and son partnership looms large over the Fujitsu General Plate (1000m) with Divine Glory, off a placing in the Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes, and the unraced Her Excellency.

Snowden said the fact Divine Glory has been to the races already is a big advantage.

"The good ones will win if they are really good but if you do everything right that's a big plus,'' he said.

"It's so important. She tracked really true the other day and having that knowledge behind her helps.

"I thought her run was terrific, she's very genuine and she tries very hard."

Divine Glory, $2.15 with TAB on Tuesday, settled around fifth in the run between horses in the Gimcrack and after being a touch flat footed early in the straight she was strong on the line to run into third behind Platinum Jubilee.

While Snowden isn't talking Golden Gifts or Golden Slippers with her just yet he feels she's the horse to beat on Wednesday.

"She jumps and races on the speed, I don't think she is A grade but she does things right and handles the wet ground so that should help her a lot,'' he said.

"It's the right way to go with her, trying to get a win with her and it looks like a nice race."

Her Excellency produced an eye-catching trial win at Rosehill last week and Snowden said the Deep Field filly will improve with time on whatever she does first-up.

Importantly, he's confident she will handle the heavy ground despite her trial win being on a good surface.

"She's a nice little filly, still a bit immature and the plan is to give her one run and tip her out,'' he said.

"She's showed enough in both her trials to say there is something there. Off the draw she will give herself every chance, she seems to get through the going quite well too."

Meanwhile, both Breeders' Plate winner Empire Of Japan and Debutant winner King's Gambit have been sent to the paddock with the autumn two-year-old features in mind.

"He's not a sales horse so he will have a Golden Slipper preparation,'' Snowden said of Empire Of Japan.

"King's Gambit will have a Blue Diamond prep. For his first go at Caulfield he was so professional so it makes sense to look at that with him."

And Group 1 winner Sheeza Belter is likely to contest the $2 million The Invitation (1400m) after pleasing the stable in her barrier trial on Monday.

Snowden said the filly hasn't had the ideal preparation but connections have accepted for the fillies and mares feature on October 222.

"She pulled up well from the trial it so it's encouraging,'' he said.

"It's a tight fit but we'll get another couple of gallops into her and hopefully she pleases in all of them and she takes her place."


Racing and Sports