Forget the flop: Snowden says King Of Roseau is ready to strike

Peter Snowden is ruling a line through King Of Roseau’s Kingsford Smith Cup performance saying the race was a disaster for the horse from start to finish.

But the trainer anticipates a much more suitable set-up in Saturday’s $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) and if that transpires, it will give King Of Roseau every opportunity to unleash his trademark big finish.

The winner of the Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford first-up, King Of Roseau drew the outside gate at Eagle Farm last start and off a moderate tempo, found himself shuffled towards the rear of the field and wide.

“He finally got back in behind one and it ran up the heels of the one in front and came straight back in his face,” Snowden said.

“He clipped its heels, was speared out seven-deep. Then he went back to last again and pulled his head off. He pulled the whole race, and he never pulls.

“On the point of the corner, another horse took him about fifteen out off the inside fence. He got back in, balanced up, and then a horse came around him and knocked him down with around eighty metres to go.

“It was a total train wreck the whole race. You have to see it to believe it, that you could have so much bad luck in a Group One race.”

Snowden felt the sluggish tempo contributed to King Of Roseau’s tale of woe, and is expecting the Group 1 handicap conditions and capacity field of 18 to ensure a genuinely run race on Saturday.

An ideal barrier draw in seven should also allow the gelding to take up a midfield stalking position for regular rider, Tom Sherry.

“There was a lot of carnage all through the race last start, because there was a lack of speed. I can’t see that being an issue this week,” Snowden said.

“It’s a big field, a handicap. There will be a lot more speed in the race, and it’s a big race, so they won’t muck about.”

Fangirl had assumed Stradbroke Handicap favouritism on Wednesday after coming up with barrier 11 at the draw, bumping Kingsford Smith Cup winner Headley Grange (barrier eight) to the second line of betting at $6.

King Of Roseau was a $26 chance, while first emergency Sixties (barrier three) was being kept safe at $9, connections of the three-year-old facing an anxious wait to see if he can secure a run.