Sheeza Belter ready to show her toughness in the 2022 J.J. Atkins
There’s no doubt Sheeza Belter showed her toughness in the way she stormed home to win the Sires’ Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm last start on May 28.
But the Randwick-based Peter and Paul Snowden team knew she was something special before the two-year-old filly first ran for them in April.
That was because she travelled across the continent from Perth via truck and, despite the long journey, her attitude was excellent.
That mental strength was on display last start and – with another Good 4 track set for this Saturday – the father-son team expects another impressive performance in the $1 million JJ Atkins (1600m) also at Eagle Farm.
“She came over and she was in great order. Unfortunately, she couldn’t be flown over given it was during COVID,” the Snowdens’ racing and bloodstock manager, Colum McCullagh, told horsebetting.com.au.
“So she travelled on a truck. It was a very long trip for her. And I think it just showed her mental toughness, which she’s shown the whole way through.
“When she came to us in Sydney for the Autumn Carnival she struck a lot of wet tracks, but we kept her ticking over.
“And now that she’s back on a dry deck she’s performing to her best.”
Sheeza Belter has been given $4.60 winning odds by Betfair for the JJ Atkins, and McCullagh is confident she can once again make her connections proud.
“She’s a credit to her predecessors over in WA – Justin Warwick and the team over there,” he said.
“It was just great to get a result for all her owners in WA who’ve entrusted us with the horse.
“And it was great to have them at the Sires. We had them all over and they saw her win that race. I’m sure they’ll be out in numbers again on Saturday.”
Already with an outstanding three wins from six starts and over $841,000 in prizemoney to her name, McCullagh believes Sheeza Belter has the class to step up to the mile for the first time.
“Sheeza Belter was very strong in her finish last start,” he said, with Sires’ Produce Stakes-winning jockey William Pike to pilot her again on Saturday.
“It was a little bit of an unknown over the 1400m in the Sires, but she put the writing on the wall.
“She was strong through the line. Stepping up to the mile is another unknown.
“But given how she finished off in the Sires, you’d believe without a doubt that she’d hopefully get a mile and get back on a good surface again.”
McCullagh has been impressed with Sheeza Belter’s effort on the track.
“She worked really well on Tuesday morning, and she’s all set to run,” he said.
“She’s drawn a bit awkwardly (barrier 10), but as she showed in the Sires she gets back and runs on.
“So hopefully we can get Willie to do something similar.”
Like Sheeza Belter, stablemate Huetor is coming off an outstanding win in the Doomben Cup (2100m) also on May 28.
And McCullagh has also been impressed with his efforts on the track leading into the $1.2 million Q22 (2200m).
“He had a nice gallop on Tuesday morning on the course proper at Eagle Farm,” he said.
“And it’s good to see him get a dry deck again because he can really just show his brilliance and turn of foot when he’s on top of the ground.
“Especially after the really wet autumn we had in Sydney. All of our horses were trudging through the mud.
“And now after putting a lot of our horses away who didn’t appreciate that sort of track and aiming them towards the Brisbane Carnival, we’ve got some good tracks up there, and a lot of our horses are appreciating it.”
Star jockey Kerrin McEvoy judged Huetor’s run to perfection to mow down hot favourite Zaaki in the Doomben Cup.
The veteran hoop will again combine with the five-year-old and $3.20 favourite with Betfair on Saturday.
“He (Huetor) has won all of his races in Australia by slipping up on the inside, and he did the same in the Doomben Cup,” McCullagh said.
“Once he went for that run it was pretty easy watch. He was 90 per cent there going into the Doomben Cup, and it was good to get a result for the people who came on board with him this year.
“He was selected and purchased by Will Johnson Bloodstock and our team, in partnership with Meridian International, and we didn’t pay a lot for him.
“And he’s already got a Group 1 on the board after start No.6. So he looks like he’s the benchmark horse.”
Huetor won at the prestigious Longchamp Racecourse in France before saluting in his first start in Australia – a $130,000 Benchmark 78 Handicap (1600m) at Newcastle on November 13 last year.
McEvoy has ridden him for all six of his races Down Under, saluting in an impressive four of those.
Like the memorable double they oversaw at Eagle Farm on May 28, Saturday could be another big one for the Snowden stable.
But they are still wary of the quality staying opponents that Huetor will face.
“Again, he meets a tough field. But Peter and Paul expect him to improve off his Doomben Cup win into Saturday,” McCullagh said.
“It’s not going to be an easy feat. There are some very well-performed horses, and some overseas horses in there.
“So he’ll have to be at his best, but we’ve kept him right since the Doomben Cup.”
After Huetor and Sheeza Belter’s brilliant victories last start, McCullagh said the morale among his stable and connections was high going into Saturday.
“It’s definitely a carnival to remember for Peter and Paul. The horses have aimed up after we’ve gone all-in, and we’ve got rewards for not only ourselves but the patient owners,” he said.
“It’s hard to tell owners about horses you scratch, but it’s good to get them to the races up in Queensland and back on a dry deck.
“They’re reaping the rewards now. Hopefully we can close it out in style.”
Huetor and Sheeza Belter will enjoy well-earned spells in the Sunshine State after Saturday.
“Most of the horses will spell. Sheeza Belter will definitely go for a break. She’s gone above and beyond this preparation,” McCullagh said.
“And same with Huetor. They’ll both spell in Queensland in the warmer weather.
“We’ll give them a bit of a let-up, and then aim them for the Spring Carnival in Sydney and Melbourne.”
Sheezer Belter’s Odds For 2022 JJ Atkins
J.J. Atkins – 
#16 Apache Chase (10)
2yo Filly | T: P & P Snowden | J: William Pike (55kg)