By Glenn Davis
First-up specialist Snitz has pleased trainer Matt Dunn ahead of his Doomben dress rehearsal on Saturday for next month’s $1.3m The Kosciuszko in Sydney.
Snitz will be ridden by Ryan Maloney in the Simon George Sells Strawberries Open Handicap (1200m).
The four-year-old hasn’t raced since finishing last in the G3 Fred Best (1350m) at Doomben in May.
However, Dunn is ignoring Snitz’s winter carnival form and can’t see why the gelding can’t maintain his near perfect first-up record of two wins from three starts.
“I can’t see why he can’t win first-up again,” Dunn said.
“He’s been in work around three months and he won a trial at the Gold Coast recently.
“It was a very good trial and he ran very fast time.”
Dunn will send Snitz second-up into The Kosciuszko at Randwick on October 13.
“He should be hard to beat on Saturday after he drew the rails,” Dunn said.
“He’ll be in the first four from the draw and it doesn’t look an overly strong race.”
Snitz stamped his qualities winning a qualifying race at Grafton in March for the Country Championship at Randwick during the autumn carnival in Sydney.
Unfortunately, Snitz could only manage fifth in the final behind the Jenny Graham-trained Victorem.
“He had the near outside barrier in the final and was four deep the whole trip,” Dunn said.
“He ran a good race under the circumstances and wasn’t beaten far.”
Long term Dunn plans to aim Snitz for the Brisbane summer carnival but he’s ineligible for the Magic Millions unless he chases a wildcard entry.
“After the Kosciuszko he’ll have a short break and go on the water walker before the summer carnival in Brisbane,” Dunn said.
Dunn will also have his star sprinter Care To Think lining up in The Kosciusko.
“Care To Think is going great and he’ll trial either at Ballina on Sunday or at the Gold Coast next Tuesday,” he said.
“I’m a little concerned with the weather so I’ll decide closer to the time where he trials.”
Care To Think hasn’t raced since failing in the G1 Stradbroke Handicap at Doomben in June.
Racing Queensland webnews September 27