Snowden eyes lucrative prep for consistent King Of Roseau
Added maturity plus a strategy favouring freshness has lifted King Of Roseau to sustained form over the previous year, leaving trainer Peter Snowden certain the quick runner is geared up for rewarding races soon.
After placing second in a benchmark contest during last year's matching Gosford card, King Of Roseau has had nine starts with five triumphs—three in stakes company—together with one more second and two fourths.
Saturday marks the beginning of his current campaign in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m), and Snowden foresees an eye-catching effort.
"He has really jumped out of the ground in the last twelve months," Snowden said.
"He has come of age and he's getting consistent.
"He's got some lofty heights ahead of him this 'prep', but it starts off with Saturday, then hopefully three weeks later the Kingsford-Smith (Cup) and maybe, if he's going well enough, the Stradbroke (Handicap)."
The gelding rested post his Liverpool City Cup (1300m) success in February and pulls barrier six in a field of 13 for Saturday's assignment.
Despite the 60kg impost, Snowden is confident King Of Roseau can hold a midfield position and remain in contention at the bend.
"There's a couple who go quick, but it's not like they're going to fly and from a middle gate, he should be able to keep a midfield spot quite comfortably," he said.
"If he does, half the job is done. It's better to be sitting four or five (lengths) off them than ten or twelve."
Additionally, Snowden fields Unspoken in the Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m), needing a turnaround from recent poor results, and Touristic is a possible starter.
Touristic prefers wet conditions unavailable this Saturday, so Snowden mulls skipping for next week's Brisbane meeting with rain in the forecast.
"There's Brisbane next week and it's supposed to rain up there all next week, so it's tempting to wait," Snowden said.
"But I've been here before and nothing happens, so we might be better off taking this race.
"It's nearly D-day for Unspoken. He's been a bit frustrating and has had a few little issues and been a bit hard to manage of late. He needs to show us something on Saturday or that might be spell time for him."
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