By Simon Dinopoulos – Racing and Sports
Peter Snowden is the last trainer to saddle up a three-year-old and win the Doomben 10,000, a feat he is aiming to repeat with race favourite Mazu on Saturday.
Snowden first won the Doomben 10,000 in with bonny mare Beaded two years prior to Golden Rose winner Epaullette winning easily in 2013.
Epaulette became the third three-year-old to win the Doomben 10,000 in the last 20 years and remains the second highest rated winner of the event behind Apache Cat.
Other three-year-old's to win the event were Sea Siren in 2012 and Bel Esprit in 2003.
All three-year-old's produced a Timeform rating greater than 120 to win the event, a feat Mazu will likely have to repeat if successful on Saturday.
Already rated 122 following his victory in the Group 2 Arrowfield Sprint, Mazu has been a revelation this time in, unbeaten in four starts.
An impressive winner prior to a break, Mazu returned gelded and has improved with every start this preparation.
So then the question remains is simply he a wet track monster?
Or he has furnished into a better horse?
Was Sydney’s ‘Big Wet’ making him faster or was that purely coincidence?
Would he have performed at the same level regardless?
I’m sure Team Snowden would have been happy to see Saturday’s race run on a heavy track at Doomben however I doubt they are concerned about the firmer surface at Eagle Farm.
Their concern would be that his opposition are more likely to run their peak on a drier surface, hence making his task greater.
An easy comparison to draw is former stable star Redzel, not to say Mazu is the next Redzel however after 10 starts he is rated higher (122 Vs 110).
Redzel was able to win on any surface, both ends of the scale, he was simply a machine.
Mazu is a long way from confirming that status however a win on a firmer surface on Saturday and he is well on his way.