Gary Harley
Newcastle – Hunter Hall Of Famer Peter Snowden is confident his talented 5-year-old King Of Roseau can give the stable its first win in the $1million The Newcastle Herald Hunter when the gelding contests Newcastle’s richest race on Saturday. The race attracted 22 acceptors on Wednesday with 16 plus 6 emergencies. “King Of Roseau has an excellent chance however he has drawn barrier 16 but I am hoping with scratchings he can start from barrier 11 or 12. He has had two starts in October and is ready to peak and I was happy with his run in the Group 2 Russell Balding at Randwick. King Of Roseau made good ground late after being well back and he finished 3.2 lengths from Pericles and Headwall. I don’t want the horse ridden too negative, probably mid field and given air in the straight. King Of Roseau is okay on a soft 5 or 6 track but not on heavy tracks” Snowden said. The Hunter born trainer has won Newcastle’s Group 3’s The Newcastle Cup, Cameron Handicap and Newcastle Stakes and thee Max Lees 2YO Classics.
The Group 3 1600 metre NZB 3YO Spring Stakes is included in the ten-race program and previous winners such as last years winner Green Spaces, Clangalong, Universal Prince and Ebony Grosve went on to win the ATC Derby.
The talented Queenslander Kickup Rocky will be the favourite and the winner from three from eight is trained by Desleigh Forster at Eagle Farm. Forster is no stranger to Newcastle making two previous trips without success. She brought Too Good To Refuse to Newcastle to contest the 2017 Group 3 Newcastle Stakes. He finished fourth behind Happy Clapper. In 2022 Forster returned to Newcastle with Apache Chase which finished fourth to Vilana in the $1Million The Hunter. Kickup Rocky is well placed with 56.5 kilograms in this years Spring Stakes, and he will be ridden by former Victorian jockey Daniel Moor his regular rider. The 3-year-old is unbeaten in two starts this preparation. He finished a close fourth in the Group 2 Sires Produce at Eagle Farm in May. “It’s not a long trip now to Newcastle and we will head down on Thursday” Forster said.
On Saturday the Listed $300,000 NJC The Beauford will also be run with the Waterhouse -Bott New Zealand bred 4-year-old Savvy Spy the early favourite. The son of Savabeel has won his past three starts at Rosehill, Warwick Farm and Hawkesbury.
Kris Lees Bestower a fast finishing second at Randwick on October 31 should run well on her home track. The 900 metre Cleanaway Max Lees Classic for two-year-old’s opens the program on Saturday and the Waterhouse-Bott trained I Am Invincible filly Stellar Ami is the early favourite after a brilliant Warwick Farm barrier trial win on October 30. The $600,000 yearling sold by Yarraman Park Stud displayed brilliant speed in her only trial. She won the trial by 3.69 lengths unextended.
Kris Lees Bronze Lion was impressive on a Gosford barrier trial win on October 28 and is a solid second favourite.