Co-trainer Peter Snowden was more than pleased with the midfield barrier six draw for Saturday’s 2018 Doomben 10,000 favourite Redzel who chases back-to-back wins in the Brisbane winter sprint.
Redzel is on track for his title defence in Saturday’s Doomben 10,000 in Brisbane. Photo: Steve Hart.
Snowden chases a fourth win in the Group 1 $700,000 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) on the weekend having won last year with Redzel (2017) following victories for the then Darley stable with Beaded (2011) and Epaulette (2013).
Snitzel five-year-old Redzel drew barrier six in the 14 starter Doomben 10,000 field this winter, a gate that hasn’t produced a winner of the weight-for-age classic since Axeman (1983).
Last season the subsequent inaugural The Everest winner saluted from barrier three (of 13) with Jim Byrne aboard for what was Redzel’s first Group 1 success.
This weekend Kerrin McEvoy is in the saddle having been aboard the $8.69 million earner for his latest five stats on the trot going back to September last year.
Among those runs were wins in the $10 million The Everest (1200m) in Sydney and Group 1 $1 million Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington over the spring.
Redzel ran a first-up second when going down as the beaten odds-on favourite fresh behind Flemington specialist Redkirk Warrior in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) in February.
He enjoyed a confidence boosting win next-up in Sydney’s Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) before returning to Randwick a month later to go down again, this time by two lengths behind super three-year-old Trapeze Artist in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).
Redzel sits top of the Doomben 10,000 odds at Ladbrokes.com.au without Trapeze Artist to beat him home on Saturday, the reigning champ at $2.30 to emulate Apache Cat (2008-09) who was the most recent of four back-to-back Doomben 10,000 winners over history.
The other successive champions since the race was first run and won in 1933 were Black Onyx (1986-69), Prince Trialia (1990-91) and Falvelon (2001-02).
The super sprinter has been brought on with a Randwick trial from May 1 in the wet over 1050m when second to English and Snowden is confident Redzel is going as good as ever for his campaign finale.
“I’m very happy with his draw and he’s as good if not a bit better than last year,” Snowden told Racing Queensland on Wednesday.
“He only just got beaten in the T J Smith and he’s been racing in much stronger company than last year when he was still going through the grades.”
Success on Saturday and the $427,000 first prize cheque will see Redzel become Australia’s highest-ever earning sprinter and just four other horses with over $9 million in career prize money down under.
To back Redzel, who is also confirmed to defend his The Everest title in 2018, this weekend at the top Doomben 10,000 odds online head to Ladbrokes.com.au now.
