Snowden seeking Q22 redemption with Huetor

By Glenn Davis

The father and son training partnership of Peter and Paul Snowden will be seeking redemption with gritty stayer Huetor in the Group 2 Q22 at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Huetor tried valiantly but just fell short of emulating the deeds of Kiwi great Rough Habit when chasing his third straight win in the Group 1 Doomben Cup on May 24.

Rough Habit is the only horse in Doomben Cup history to claim the Group 1 feature three times in successive years from 1991-93.

French import Huetor gave the leaders a big start at the top of the straight in the Doomben Cup before finishing fourth, just over one length from winner Bois D’argent from the Annabel Neasham stable.

“His Doomben Cup run was terrific as he was on the worst part of the track,” co-trainer Peter Snowden said. 

Peter wanted an inside draw for Huetor but he didn‘t get his wish when the gelding drew barrier 17 in the 2200 metre Weight for Age feature.

“I wanted a good gate but he’s drawn wide again in the Doomben Cup,” Peter said.

“With an inside draw he would have been able to race midfield and not get as far back.”

After last year’s Doomben Cup triumph, Huetor came off a wide barrier to finish sixth in in the Q22 behind the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Without A Fight. 

“His run last year was okay but he was at the end of his campaign then,” Peter said.

“This time I put him out in the paddock for four days after the Doomben Cup and it’s really sparked him up.

“He was in the stable at night and out in the paddock in the day while doing some light work on the treadmill as part of his recovery.

“It’s just something I do differently with horses and it freshens them up well, he’s bouncing.”

Huetor was on the verge of retirement two years ago after suffering a serious eye infection following his run in the Q22 at Eagle Farm in 2022.

He had to wear an eye mask daily and receive treatment every two hours after two delicate surgeries before making a remarkable recovery to resurrect his career.

Peter said the cause of the eye infection was due to a bacteria found in damp straw.

“He had an operation to stop fungus from going further into the eye but he had to have a second operation as the first didn’t quite go to plan,” Peter said.

“He won the Doomben Cup after he had the operations.”