Thrilling Takeover Target Stakes goes to King Of Roseau

Peter Snowden, champion handler, lauded the grit and hunger for victory shown by King Of Roseau in the pulsating end to the Listed $250,000 Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) held at Gosford on Saturday.

"I could see the horse on his inside (Harry's Yacht) making his run with King Of Roseau but I just felt he would find a way,'' Snowden said.

"King Of Roseau is in a frame of mind where he just wants to win. He has always been a good sprinter but he's gone to the next level this season.

"He's won six of his last nine starts and he just keeps getting better.''

Kerrin McEvoy guided the $6 shot King Of Roseau to a narrow defeat of Harry's Yacht ($5) after an intense duel in the closing stages, with Way To The Stars ($16), who led early, third by half a length.

Godolphin representative Kerguelen ($3.90 favourite) struggled to make an impact and finished ahead of only one other.

Snowden now has three Takeover Target Stakes successes to his name with this win, adding to those from Calanda (2018) and Emblems (2014), while the chestnut continues his hot streak this season.

He possessed sprinter talent throughout but broke through at stakes grade at the start of his four-year-old campaign via the Group 3 Aurie's Star Handicap at Flemington.

Since then, King Of Roseau has built momentum, sweeping the $2 million Magic Millions Cup and Group 3 Liverpool City Cup over summer before resuming victorious here.

According to Snowden, the gelding's sharp form merits top-tier targets like the $1 million Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on May 30 and the $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 13 at the same track.

"I deliberately missed the Sydney autumn with King Of Roseau as he had a fair bit of travelling earlier in the season then went deep into summer winning at the Gold Coast and then back at Randwick,'' Snowden said.

"So, I freshened him and decided to concentrate on the Brisbane carnival.

"He will go to the Kingsford Smith Cup next and 1300m is probably his best distance, then onto the Stradbroke Handicap.''

The preparation mirrors the successful blueprint applied to Think About It three years prior.

Think About It took the Liverpool City Cup, was rested, won the Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford, then claimed the Kingsford Smith Cup and Stradbroke Handicap.

That same year, Think About It later succeeded in the Premiere Stakes en route to nine consecutive victories, capped by The Everest.

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