Snitzel's Cheer Leader In a Class of Her Own

Mark Smith - Friday March 22

Friday night's Listed Sun Stud Valley Pearl Stakes (St Albans Stakes) (1200m) is a story easy told - Yu Long Investments Snitzel filly Cheer Leader jumped straight to the front under Damian Lane and increased her margin at every call to win throttled down by five lengths. 

The Peter and Pail Snowden-trained filly had been working up to a win. She went down narrowly at Bendigo at her first start on February 16 when making her career debut with the future stakes-winner Flit back in third place.

Just over two weeks later, Cheer Leader was second across the line in the Listed Festival of Racing 1000 Stakes at Flemington before being relegated to third by the stewards.

Still, it did not prepare for her explosive performance at Moonee Valley, where she had the field off the bit well before turning for home.

The Nicconi colt Mayan did his best work in the closing stages, coming from last to grab second at a safe five lengths with the Unencumbered filly Free Thrills, earning some valuable black-type at her career debut, a length back in third.

Snowden stable representative Andrew Angelone said winkers have the filly more focussed.

"At her last start, she was green up the straight and shied at the post. We put the winkers on, she had a gallop at the Valley on Monday and was really sharp," Angelone said.

"She showed today she can lead and kick off the lead and win quite impressively.

Advertisement

"She's in her second prep, her last prep she only just missed out going to the races, she keeps improving and has a lot of improvement in her."

A $300,000 purchase by Yu Long Investments out of the Milburn Creek draft at the 2018 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Cheer Leader is a half-sister to Group 1 MRC One Thousand Guineas winner Amicus (Fastnet Rock) and the stakes-placed Il Cavallo (Choisir).

She is the eighth named foal and the seventh winner out of the stakes-placed El Moxie (USA) mare Gold Chant who is a half-sister to the champion sprinter, 4-time Group 1 winner and accomplished sire Starspangledbanner.

Owned by Makybe Racing & Breeding, Gold Chant missed to Not A Single Doubt in 2016 before foaling a colt by I Am Invincible on November 15 last year.

Lime Country Thoroughbreds, on behalf of Makybe, will offer a Not A Single Doubt colt out of Gold Chant's dam Gold Anthem as lot 31 at the upcoming Easter Yearling Sale.

Cheer Leader becomes the 88th stakes-winner for Snitzel who is on a track for his third consecutive champion sire title with a lead of over $5 million.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Wednesday July 2
Here is the full list of 44 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Lisa Kennedy Recognized for Thoroughbred Welfare
Lisa Kennedy has always had a passion for thoroughbreds, and her efforts in guiding retired racehorses into new careers through EventStars were celebrated at Entain’s Industry Excellence Awards last Sunday as the winner of the Care and Welfare Excellence Award.
G1 Winning Champion 2YO Velocious to be Offered on Inglis Digital
The G1-winning Champion 2YO Velocious (Written Tycoon) will be offered for auction in the Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Sale.
Two $1.4million Colts by Snitzel
Champion stallion Snitzel is rocking the Inglis sales ring.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Quality Cambridge Stud draft in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.
2026 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable, Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1927 entries for the 2026 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
Snitzel's Away Game Sizzles to Massive Payday in MM Classic
Luke Currie won a second The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) in three years when emerging filly Away Game stunned her rivals in Saturday’s $2 million contest at the Gold Coast.
Sword Poised to Strike
When the first crop yearlings by a young stallion are well received and go into the right stables that’s always a good sign and then a few months after that is when things start to get really interesting.