Snowden keen to see Tuileries get chance to shine in Hot Danish

Randwick trainer Peter Snowden rates Tuileries the equal of one of his Hot Danish Stakes winners and believes an overdue favourable draw can help her prove she is in career-best form in Saturday’s edition of the group 2 race for fillies and mares.

Whether that is good enough to beat Lazzura, though, is another thing.

Tuileries looms as one of the main challengers to $1.45 favourite Lazzura, which won the $2 million Invitation (1400m) last start despite racing up on speed, against her preferred style. That followed victory in the group 2 Golden Pendant, also at 1400m.

The Chris Waller-trained group 1 winner has gate two for another crack at 1400m on Saturday at Rosehill, where Tuileries ($7), Gerringong ($6.50) and Kosciuszko champion Chains Of Love ($9) were the only others at single-figure odds.

Tuileries, a group 3 Newcastle Stakes and Dark Jewel Classic winner at 1400m, drew on Lazzura’s outside in three, which was a relief for Snowden after her two starts this preparation came out of gate 11.

The So You Think mare defied the pattern to come down the outside and finish just a half-length away fourth in the Nivison first-up before running into traffic when eighth in the Invitation.

Snowden described the Invitation as a “disaster”.

“It was pleasing to see that draw, that’s for sure,” he said.

“Last start she got back from a bad gate so hopefully from that good gate we get that right spot.

“She ran really well in the Nivison, then you just couldn’t get wide at Randwick the other day, so we bit the bullet and went back and tried to ride for luck, but there were just dead ends all the way up the straight.

“Anyway, from that draw we should be able to make our own luck and be in the first half.

“The favourite looks very hard to beat, at set weights we carry the same weight as her, which is a shame, but she gets her chance from that good draw.”

Snowden has won the Hot Danish with Sheeza Belter (2022) and Reelem In Ruby (2019).

“She’s very similar to them, especially Reelem In Ruby,” he said of five-year-old Tuileries.

“She’d be equal to her ability for sure.

“I think she has improved this prep, she’s just that bit more mature. She’s come back in good order. She hasn’t got a result yet, but it would be great to see her run well.”

Tyler Schiller rides her for the first time.

Stewards announced a late plating change on Thursday for Tuileries, which will wear Equicast, a therapeutic hoof support and casting system, on both front legs for the first time.

“It’s nothing at all,” Snowden said.

“Those sort of changes are like you taking your shoes off and putting your slippers on.”

Snowden also has Nitro ($5) at Rosehill. The four-year-old Deep Field gelding is in the last, a benchmark 78 handicap over 1200m, after finishing sixth first-up at Warwick Farm over 1300m. Nitro started poorly but rattled home from last in the 11-horse field. Tom Sherry rides from gate seven.

“He’s got a bit of a habit of being slow away,” his trainer said.

“He gets too far back, has too much to do and runs well without winning.

“We trialled him the other day with a barrier blanket on him and he stepped a lot better, so we’ll see if that works on Saturday.”

At Flemington, Snowden has Plaintiff ($151) as the rank outsider in the group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) in what is likely her last run of the preparation.

He said Miss Freelove, fifth in group 3 company at Flemington on Tuesday, and The Machine Gun, seventh in the group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes there last Saturday, would have breaks before preparing for the Magic Millions carnival first-up in January on the Gold Coast.

“She ran on well, she just missed the start and it cost her any chance of winning,” he said of Miss Freelove.

“The Machine Gun’s draw wasn’t great, he had no cover and he was on the wrong side of the track, but he still ran great, so he’ll go for a spell.”

King Of Roseau, though, will race on and likely head to next Saturday’s $1 million The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle. He was three lengths sixth last start in the $3 million Russell Balding Stakes (1300m), which Pericles won in track record time at Randwick last Saturday.