Co-trainer Peter Snowden has confirmed plans to head down the 2016 Caulfield Guineas path with progressive three-year-old Detective after he won in Black-Type company at Flemington on Makybe Diva Stakes Day.
Detective was too good down the Flemington straight winning the 2016 Starlight Express Room Stakes on Makybe Diva Stakes Day. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Showing promise as a juvenile at the track when runner-up to Seaburge in the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) back in March, Snitzel colt Detective returned to the Flemington for the first time since on Saturday.
Following a first-up win at Wyong over 1350m a fortnight ago, the up-and-comer lined-up against an above average field of young spring hopes out wide for jockey Chris Parnham in the $120,000 Listed Starlight Express Room Stakes (1400m).
The moderate mid-race tempo of the set weights plus penalties clash suited Detective and Parnham had him positioned perfectly up on the speed set by the flying Lindsay Park-trained Zunbaqa who was coming off four straight wins.
“He relaxed beautifully for me,” Parnham said post-win.
“He wouldn’t go very hard but I was happy with the way he relaxed.”
Zunbaqa led the field around with Tessera a touch keen in second early, while Detective settled third then fourth as Urban Ruler got a lovely trail on the fence with the first few.
With 500m to go Detective had moved up into second position and on the straight the John O’Shea-trained Tessera, second-up off a seventh to stablemate Astern in Sydney’s Run To The Rose, was starting his run in earnest.
Detective ($9.50) hit the front at the 200m mark and proved too hard to run down, finishing a length ahead of Tessera ($7) and the Ciaron Maher-trained Throssell ($6.50) who ran third for the second time this campaign after the placing behind Ken’s Dream at Moonee Valley in the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m) three weeks ago.
“I just waited as long as I could before I asked the question of him,” Parnham added.
“And he found a few lengths when I asked.
“He fought on really well so it was a tough win.”
Tessera cost himself the win after pushing for a front run early but still franked the Sydney form with the second today, while Throssell was gallant in the brave third from out wide in a lovely run as he gears up for a shot at the $1.5 million Group 1 VRC Derby (2500m) over more metres during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Plans from the Snowden camp are to run Detective next-up at Caulfield in the $175,000 Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) on September 24, which could lead to a run on October 8 back at the track in the $1 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
“He’s two from two this prep and it was good to see him show a bit of fight today,” Snowden said.
“He’s getting up there. It was a step up in class today and he won again with authority.
“Whether he’s a Guineas horse I’m not sure, but he’s in it and we’ll go that path and see what happens.
“He’s getting stronger in himself physically and we’ll take it one step at a time.
“We’ll probably go to the Prelude next, but we’ll think about that tomorrow.”
While Snowden needs convincing about the Caulfield Guineas target, Parnham believes the mile is well within the reach of Detective.
“He will get a mile plus just with his attitude and the way he relaxes,” the jockey said.
“He’s going really well for the future.”
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2016 Starlight Express Room Stakes Results & Finishing Order
Flemington Race 3 – 09/10/2016
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Wgt. | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | DETECTIVE | Peter & Paul Snowden | Chris Parnham | – | 11 | 56kg | $9 |
| 2 | 3 | TESSERA | John O’Shea | Craig Williams | 0.75L | 3 | 58kg | $7 |
| 3 | 5 | THROSSELL | Ciaron Maher | Luke Nolen | 0.85L | 9 | 57kg | $6F |
| 4 | 12 | ZUNBAQA | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Damian Lane | 1.25L | 4 | 54kg | $7 |
| 5 | 2 | SEABURGE | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Mark Zahra | 1.65L | 5 | 58kg | $7 |
| 6 | 8 | REVOLVING DOOR | Clinton McDonald | Nicholas Hall | 2.4L | 10 | 56kg | $9 |
| 7 | 11 | AWAKE IN GRINZING (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | Ben Melham | 2.5L | 8 | 56kg | $18 |
| 8 | 9 | URBAN RULER | Greg Eurell | Steven Arnold | 2.7L | 1 | 56kg | $12 |
| 9 | 10 | CAPTAIN DUFFY | Phillip Stokes | Dom Tourneur | 2.8L | 7 | 56kg | $31 |
| 10 | 4 | JACKSON | Tony McEvoy | Luke Currie | 3.3L | 6 | 57kg | $20 |
| 11 | 7 | YU LONG SHENG HUI | Mick Price | Damien Oliver | 4.05L | 2 | 56kg | $11 |
| 12 | 13 | INSPIRED ESTELLE | Mick Price | Craig Newitt | 5.05L | 12 | 54kg | $26 |
| – | 14 | SMART AS YOU THINK | John McArdle | Daniel Stackhouse | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 1 | GOOD STANDING | James Cummings | Dwayne Dunn | – | 0 | – | – |
