SNOWDEN FACING DIAMOND DRAMAS
TRAINER Peter Snowden, a threetime Blue Diamond Stakes winner, could be without a runner in the Group 1 on February 25 at Sandown with question marks over King’s Gambit or Don Corleone.
King’s Gambit is set to run in the Group 2 Silver Slipper (1100m) in Sydney on Saturday but the shortodds defeat of Blue Diamond hopeful Don Corleone last weekend has forced a rethink.
“They’re the two, one of those maybe, but I’m not saying they are coming, it’s an option,” Snowden said. “King’s Gambit is supposed to run in the Silver Slipper and not come here, but that might change too, I don’t know.
“The two boys are the two options we have.”
Don Corleone looked to get his chance last Saturday at Randwick but peaked in the run and finished fourth behind Café Millennium and Blue Diamond-nominated Empress Of Wonder and Remedies.
King’s Gambit is $10 in TAB’s allin Blue Diamond market, with Don Corleone at $15. Barber, who won the Blue Diamond Prelude last Saturday at Sandown, is the $5 favourite from Steel City ($7) and Brave Halo ($8).
Snowden will speak to the owners of King’s Gambit and Don Corleone this week to plot a pathway forward.
The colts share multiple owners, including Newgate Bloodstock and China Horse Club. “I wouldn’t rule it out (one running in the Blue Diamond), but I’m not going to say which one is going to come either,” Snowden said. “I need to talk to the owner-ship group and see what they want to do.”
Snowden thrice won the Blue Diamond with Sepoy in 2011, Earthquake in 2014 and Pride Of Dubai in 2015.
He placed second in the race last year with Revolutionary Miss beaten in a photo finish with Daumier.