Peter and Paul Snowden will send their blueblood two year old filly Satin Ribbons to Newcastle on Saturday to contest the 900 metre Australian Bloodstock 2YO Maiden Plate. Satin Ribbons displayed explosive speed to win barrier trials by big margins at Rosehill, Gosford and Randwick in her first public appearances.
The Snowden’s sent their filly to the races for the first time at Kembla on May 15. She sped through to lead soon after the start but she was run down late and finished second over 1000 metres. Fitter and more experienced for that run Satin Ribbons is well placed over the shorter course at Newcastle on Saturday.
Kiwi jockey Alysha Collett has the mount. Satin Ribbons sire Capitalist won a Gold Coast Magic Millions and a Golden Slipper. Her dam Satin Shoes won the Widden Silver Slipper and was runner up in the Riesling.
Scone trainer Stephen Jones is currently campaigning in Queensland with his smart 2- year old Baby Wong while his gallant campaigner Hit The Target carries the flag for the stable at Newcastle on Saturday. The 6- year old Hit the Target was bred by Gerry Harvey and is raced by a group including Sky Channels Gavin Carmody. He has won $239,410 on the racetrack and he was allotted 63 ½ kilograms for Saturday’s Fujitsu General Benchmark 68 Handicap 1300m.
Jones has booked 2 kilogram claiming apprentice Tyler Schiller to ride Hit The Target on Saturday and the gelding is nicely weighted after the claim. He led all the way to win the recent Parkes Cup with 62 kilograms on his back. On April 10, Hit The Target led all the way to win a Benchmark 68 at Newcastle. The gelding has had four starts at Newcastle for two wins and a second.
The Everest winning combination of Hong Kong businessman Bon Ho and Randwick trainer Les Bridge have a lightly raced New Zealand bred gelding with a great chance at Newcastle. Savvy Legend has had 6 starts all at Newcastle for a win and three seconds. First up on May 18 he made up many lengths when runner up to Asterro over 1400 metres at Newcastle. The 1600 metres of the TAB Venue Mode Benchmark 64 Handicap is ideal. Aaron Bullock has been booked for the plum mount.
There is an interesting clash in the Sage Painting Class 1 Handicap 1200m at Newcastle. The clash of two of Australia’s leading stables – The Lees and Hawkes stables.
Lees representative is a 5 year old Kiwi called Matterhorn which has only had two starts in New Zealand for a 4 length win and a close second. He has been gelded since his last start in September and he won a recent Wyong trial.
The Hawkes’ 3- year old Imposing Beau won impressively on debut at Hawkesbury on May 4 and in his only other start on the Kensington track he was beaten 1.4 lengths on May 9.