Ryan adds milestone winner to Snitzel's record
Snitzel has exceeded even the high hopes that owner Damion Flower & trainer Gerald Ryan had of him when they bought the Redoute’s Choice-Snippets’ Lass colt for $260,000 at the 2004 Magic Millions Sale.
And Gerald has been part of Snitzel’s story ever since as the man who prepared him to win the Oakleigh Plate G1 and six other races, then trained his first winner Intertidal, his third stakeswinner Hot Snitzel and his first female Group 1 winner Snitzerland. Last Saturday, the Ryan stable sent out Snitzel’s 31st 2YO winner for the season, the Vinery Stud-and-partners-owned Pymble successful at Newcastle at his fourth start.
That gave the son of Redoute’s Choice sole ownership of the Australian sire record for 2YO winners in a season. Whakanui Stud’s filly Shadow Dancer made it 32 in New Zealand on Sunday and Prime Thoroughbreds’ filly Zelsignoret became No. 33 with a strong debut at Seymour on Tuesday.
Gerald said after Pymble’s win, “I’m a bit surprised it took him this long to win one, he’s a bit of a colt but he’s certainly got the ability. He should learn a lot from this win and we might look at 1000-metre race at Randwick in two weeks.”
Pymble takes Gerald’s record with the Snitzel tribe to 53 winners of 121 races, twelve of them stakeswinners with 28 Group & Listed Race victories on the board.
Arrowfield’s staunch early support for Snitzel is evident in the Stud’s 7 graduates among those stakeswinners, but the most recent additions to Gerald’s list, Diddums, Trapeze Artist and Samantha, are homebreds for Torryburn Stud, the Vieira family and Corumbene Stud.
Gerald nominates Arrowfield graduate Snitzerland as the filly most like Snitzel, “in stature, her attitude, with a little bit of aggression, and her speed.”
Dual Group 2-winning juvenile Time For War, also sold by Arrowfield, was the colt most like Dad. “To look at, he was very much like Snitzel, and his mannerisms too. He was hotter than Snitzel, but he settled down.”
All of Gerald’s current 2YOs by Snitzel have now raced, with 7 of them contributing to their sire’s record and he’s particularly excited about the Spring 3YO prospects of two colts already back in the stable.
“Menari and Trapeze Artist both returned to work last Friday and I’m happy with both of them. Trapeze Artist has done really well and all going well he’ll aim at the Golden Rose, he’s already proven at the 1400 metres.
“Menari was unlucky to strike heavy tracks but he still finished third, relegated to fourth in the Golden Slipper. The Coolmore is likely for him, I think he’ll run a great straight six.”
Arrowfield’s filly Dame Pattie, out of champion mare Alinghi, is a yet-to-race rising 3YO daughter of Snitzel to watch out for in the Ryan stable next season. “I’m looking forward to having her back, she has really good ability and a great nature.”
