08-07-2025
Canterbury preview: Peter Snowden's faith has been rewarded as a more mature Cassiel shines ahead of midweek target
Trainer Peter Snowden has always known the ability was there and while it has taken time for Cassiel to show it on race day, the gelding has delivered it in spades this preparation.
Cassiel placed in three of his four runs last campaign but was his own worst enemy, according to Snowden.
With maturity, the four-year-old has been much better this time in, leading all the way to score by more than a length from Apex when resuming at Canterbury on April 21 and backing it up with a two-and-a-half length win from Fly Scotty Fly at Hawkesbury four weeks later in a Benchmark 64 over 1100m with 61kg.
'He just wanted to go too hard and too quick in his races,' Snowden said.
'He is racing a lot more tractably and it is showing in his performances on race day.
'He's probably one of the best trackworkers I've ever had but come race day he just wanted to overdo it and [was] beating himself.
'Now, he is starting to learn to relax a lot better.
'He's not perfect but because he's relaxing more, he's able to find more at the end of his races.
'He will win a lot more races yet if he keeps going the way he is going.'
Cassiel races away to salute in the last at Hawkesbury for the @SnowdenRacing1 stable! 🙌
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 17, 2025
Cassiel steps out at Canterbury on Wednesday in the Hyland Race Colours Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m) with Tom Sherry again aboard.
'He's definitely going the right way and you can't beat winning form,' Snowden said.
'It's a similar race for him this week and he looks well placed in that grade.'
Lightly-raced three-year-old Braveheart is another who possess nice ability and is getting better with time and maturity.
'He is a full brother to King Of Sparta and there's no reason he can't be up to that grade at some stage,' he said.
'He is very lightly raced – he's only had a handful of starts – but every start he has had, he has shown something.
'He had a few little issues in the early days but we have ironed them out now and he is going very well.
'The family keeps getting better as they get older, there's no doubt about that, and I expect him to do the same.
The son of I Am Invincible caught there eye with his strong closing third behind Axius on the Kensington first-up and is a leading chance in the Broadsiding @ Darley Handicap (1250m).
Axius is too good for them at Randwick, as he wins first up for @NockBraith and @cmaherracing! 🙌 @aus_turf_club @Dynamic_WONIT
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 25, 2025
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'He has found the right race this week. His first-up run was very good and a similar sort of race this week should see him run very well again,' he said.
'He worked well on Saturday morning and is ready to go.'
Snowden is keeping his options open as to whether Infusion makes her race debut at Canterbury in the TAB Handicap (1200m), goes to Gosford on Thursday or waits until next week.
'I just want to get her on the best track I can,' he said.
'She is more effective on good ground than soft so we will see what happens with the weather.'
The three-year-old daughter of I Am Invincible has been good in her barrier trials including a nose second to proven performer Highlights after tracking him in the run in her latest heat at Canterbury on June 23.
'She is a nice filly; a big strong thing,' he said
'She had a few growing pains early and it has taken us a while to get her to the track.
'She has been trialling soundly and it was a very good trial at Canterbury at her last one against good company. She was very strong to the line.'
