Blue-blooded Snitzel entire Showtime stamped his stallion credentials when defeating a star-studded line-up in Saturday's Group II PB Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield.
Ridden by Dwayne Dunn, the $1.1 million colt fought on bravely to score by a long-neck from last year's winner Hartnell (GB) (Authorized) with Widgee Turf (Turffontein) a long-head away third. (photo Grant Courtney).
"It was a good effort because when the leader came across he annoyed us a fair bit and it took him until about the 600m or 700m to settle," Wayne Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his father John and brother Michael, said.
"In the first half of the race he raced with his head up and was very keen so he did it at both ends.
"It was far and away his best run. Right from the early stages, my father said while he's got a two-year-olds pedigree he always thought he'd be at his best when he was four.
"You don't get many better-looking individuals than him."
Winner of the Group II Stutt Stakes at Moonee Valley last spring, Showtime has placed in the Group II Expressway Stakes behind Trapeze Artist, third in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes and Group 1 All-Aged Stakes and second in the Group II Arrowfield Sprint.
He will chase Group 1 glory in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield
Bred and part-owned by Katsumi Yoshida and Arrowfield Stud, Showtime is a brother to the 2015 Group I The Galaxy winner, Sweet Idea.
Consigned by Arrowfield to the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Showtime (pictured as a yearling ) was knocked down to Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock for $1.1 million.
Also, a half-brother to the Singapore Stakes winner Rush (Charge Forward), the son of Snitzel is the eighth foal of the stakes-placed Timber Country mare Flidais a daughter of the dual Group I winner Electronic.
Flidais has a 2yo filly by Snitzel named Evening Slippers and was covered by the reigning champion stallion again last season after missing in 2016.
