Snitzel 2YO Revels in the wet at Rosehill

Mark Smith - Saturday June 19

With James McDonald in the saddle and proven on a heavy track, punters rallied behind the two-year-old Snitzel colt Royalzel in Saturday’s E Group Security Hcp (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens, and it proved to be relatively painless.

Royalzel - image Steve Hart.

The Gary Portelli-trained colt broke his maiden by three lengths on a heavy track over 1300m at Kembla Grange two starts back.

He was troubled fifth, beaten just over two and a half lengths, behind Cape Breton, over 1400m at Rosehill at his most recent start.

Held together last of the seven starters in the early stages, Royalzel made his challenge down the centre of the track.  He defeated fellow Snitzel colt Deficit by one and a half lengths with Bull Point gelding Raging Bulla further one and a quarter lengths back in third.

“He’s done a marvellous job,” McDonald said.

“He gave me a really sweet ride. Gary has done a good job with him in the gates. He was first out, and I could have led on him, but I was happy to let him come back and let the speed go.

Advertisement

“When they backed it off in the mid-stages, I had to get going a little early.  He has a great turn of foot and loved those conditions.”

Owned by Malcolm Russell, Royalzel was bred by Arrowfield Stud, who purchased his dam Royal Tithe for $300,000 through Freyer Bloodstock at the 2017 National Broodmare Sale.

A well-performed daughter of Show A Heart, Royal Tithe numbered the Group III Ken Russell Memorial Classic among her four wins while banking over $414,000.

Royal Tithe has a yearling sister to Royalzel and a weanling colt by The Autumn Sun. She was bred back to The Autumn Sun last spring.

Royalzel is the 16th 2yo winner of the season for Snitzel, just two behind the leader Capitalist.

Snitzel

Advertisment

Race Result - E Group Security Hcp 1500m

Rosehill Track: Heavy(8) Time: 1:33.59
1
Royalzel
- 2c Snitzel (AUS) x Royal Tithe (AUS) (Show A Heart (AUS))
Tnr: G Portelli Rdr: J B Mc Donald 57.5
2
1.3
Deficit
- 2c Snitzel (AUS) x Taqaseem (AUS) (Medaglia D'Oro (USA))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: N Rawiller 57.5
3
2.8
Raging Bull
- 2g Bull Point (AUS) x Sunday Sinners (AUS) (Danbird (AUS))
Tnr: David Payne Rdr: S Clipperton 58
4
3.1
Zadig
- 2g Astern (AUS) x Zrinski (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Jean Dubois Rdr: Jean Van Overmeire 56
5
5.7
My Snow Queen
- 2f Star Turn (AUS) x Lionel Left Me (AUS) (Casino Prince (AUS))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: Tyler Schiller 52
6
7.5
Verbek
- 2g Turn Me Loose (NZ) x Chapchick (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: R & L Price Rdr: J Bowman 58
7
9.1
Hundred Proof
- 2c Into Mischief (USA) x Russian Moon (USA) (Malibu Moon (USA))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: J R Collett 57.5
More Reading...
Magic Millions First Digital Sale - Opportunities Aplenty
Bidding is now open for the first Magic Millions Digital Sale with opportunities across all levels of the market for prospective buyers.
A Century of NZB National Yearling Sales Success: Cox Plate
Moonee Valley’s A$6m Group One WS Cox Plate (2040m) is known as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia and has been won by many of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest thoroughbreds.
Coolmore Favs get the Flemington Straight Experience in Jump Outs
Beiwacht, Beadman and Skyhook, three of the top four in the market for next month’s Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes had a jump out down the Flemington straight on Friday with Beadman quite the eye-catcher.
Royalzel Gives Them Weight and a Beating in Taj Rossi Series Final
The Gary Portelli-trained Royalzel completed a successful hit and run mission in Saturday's $160,000 Listed Kennedy Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) at Flemington.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 23
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Breeding To Win – 2025 G1 MVRC Cox Plate
An emotional week in Australasian racing approaches its crescendo as we count down to the final Cox Plate before a radical new era in its history begins and we mourn the passing of one of its greatest champions.
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
The Rosehill trials on Friday morning featured a couple of juvenile heats and both winners came out of the Widden Stud draft at Magic Millions with one topping the sale at $2.8million and the other selling for a modest $150,000.
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
NZB Breeze Up Footage Now Available to View Online
The highly anticipated Breeze Up videos for NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale are now available to view online at nzb.co.nz.