Doomben 10,000 day has special significance for Jim Kennedy as 40 years ago Blue's Finito carried his colours to victory in the Group 1 feature.
The octogenarian owner does not have a runner in the race this Saturday although he does have one on the undercard, the admirably consistent Snitz, who just might find himself a place in history as the horse to carry his sire Snitzel to a record-breaking 27 individual stakes-winner for the season.
When French Emotion stormed home to win last Saturday’s $250,000 Group II Queen Of Adelaide Stakes at Morphettville, she credited Snitzel with his 26th stakes-winner of the season equalling the tally he set the previous season in which he tied the mark set by the great Danehill.
Snitz is one of three Snitzel’s set to contest Saturday’s Listed Queensland Day Stakes (1350m) at Doomben.
The Paul Perry-trained Perast has already contributed to Snitzel’s tally this season. Last spring in Melbourne he won the Group III Caulfield Guineas Prelude and was competitive with the best three-year-old’s around so it would be no surprise to see the Frank Cook colour-bearer improve on his recent form.
The third runner for Snitzel is the improving Saxton Rock, who like Snitz comes from the stable of Murwillumbah’s favourite son Matt Dunn.
Saxton Rock can improve Snitzel’s seasonal tally but he is coming off a win in a class 2 at Coffs Harbour and his current quote of $26 does not seem overly generous.
Which leaves us with Snitz who will be without the services of Robbie Fraad for the first time in eight starts but will be helped by another South African great, Jeff Lloyd, who has had one previous ride, finishing third on a heavy track at Doomben back in March last year.
Bred by Ken Breese, Snitz was consigned by Basinghall Farm to the 2016 VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale where he made $75,000, which is about a third of what his sire will stand at this year.
He was back in the sales ring at the Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale where he was purchased by Jim Kennedy for $140,000 and I doubt Kennedy has had a days regret since.
Snitz (pictured at the 2yo sale) is the eighth live foal of the wonderful racemare Tickle My.
A daughter of Testa Rossa’s sire Perugino (IRE), Tickle My was raced by Ken Breese to win to win 11 and place in 11 of her 50 starts while banking $786,175.
Trained by Bruce Purcell, Tickle My was noted for her gameness and consistency. Her five stakes wins were highlighted by the Group II Sunline Stakes at Moonee Valley.
From the family of Arundel Stud’s foundation matron Court Fantasy, Tickle My has six winners from seven to race but she is still chasing her first stakes winner.
She has been beaten to that honour by her daughter Take All Of Me (Jeune), the dam of the 2017 Group III SAJC The National Stakes winner I’ll Have A Bit (Smart Missile) who just last Saturday steamrolled a top-class field in the Group II SAJC Euclase Stakes at Morphettville as a $150 chance.
Now a family stakes double in a week would be a good story and Tickle My and Snitz would thoroughly deserve it.
Five wins, two seconds and two thirds from 11 starts tells the story of Snitz’s consistency and a maiden stakes win on Saturday would be a great result for owner Jim Kennedy, breeder Ken Breese and of course for Snitzel who continues his march to set all sorts of records.
