Redzel leads all the way in Hall Mark Stakes at Randwick

Redzel
Redzel led all the way for Peter and Paul Snowden in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes at Randwick on Saturday

THERE was a stack of early betting support for Redzel in the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate at Randwick and it was justified in the end.

The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained gelding was quick from the barriers with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle and after a mid-race breather, the four-year-old was able to kick and hold off the challengers.

Punters were confident with its lead-up form which included a placing behind English in the Challenge Stakes and second placing behind Russian Revolution in The Galaxy last start. Bookmakers opened it up at around $3.80 earlier in the week, but it settled at $2.70 with Sportsbet.com.au.

“He did a good job, the horse,” co-trainer Peter Snowden said. “Full credit to him. He’s really toughened up now for recent racing, just taking him quietly and giving him plenty of time between runs really suits him.

“He did a good job today in very testing conditions.”

Snowden believes the four-year-old deserved the win after being so close this campaign.

“There’s no better thing for a horse’s confidence than winning and he’s doing that well now. He was desperately unlucky two starts prior, so I thought he deserved his win there,” Snowden said.

Sportsbet.com.au

“He’s about 60-70kg heavier than he used to be as a three-year-old, he’s really developed now. Because he races so hard he’s so taxing on himself, I give him plenty of time to get over it and it works really well.”

It has yet to win a group one, but Snowden is hopeful Redzel will finally claim an overdue group one success.

“He almost won a group one, got beaten a half head a month ago, so I don’t see a group one being out of reach,” he said.

“Handicap would probably suit him but he does carry weight well.”

Kerrin McEvoy was able to dictate the pace in front and stack the field up before the turn which proved the winning of the race.

“It’s a trip he hadn’t been great at before and had a couple of goes without earning a placing but he had conditions to suit today off the back of a nice second in the Galaxy and was able to dictate it today,” McEvoy said.

“Peter and Paul (Snowden) have handled him well, he had a nice freshen up coming into today and he loves being around the stable the ‘old fella’.”

MvEvoy indicated that it might head to the Brisbane Carnival later this year.

“He is a nice horse to do anything with and it’s pleasing to see him win again today and there might be some nice races for him up in Brisbane during the carnival,” he said.

Counterattack had plenty of betting support and used a rails run around the home turn to bridge the gap Redzel had forged. Jockey Hugh Bowman was unable to lift it over the line, but the performance was a nice indication of what’s to come.

“Gallant, but not good enough to beat Redzel today,” Bowman said.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments