25th stakes double for Snitzel
Champion Sire Snitzel is enjoying one of his best-ever seasons on the track & in the sale-ring. (PHOTO: Bronwen Healy)
Every champion sire needs his warriors who keep fronting up in city & stakes company over several seasons and steadily compile valuable wins, placings and prizemoney.
Two of Snitzel’s warriors, with different aptitudes but similar career records, compiled his 25th same-day stakes double at Randwick & Morphettville on Saturday. (Snitzel has also recorded four same-day stakes trebles and one quadruple).
First-up was 7YO Taikomochi (ex Geisha by Fusaichi Pegasus) who earned a start in The Metropolitan G1 on 3 October with a typically generous performance to win the $160,000 ATC Kingston Town S. 2000m G3 in a not-for-the-faint-hearted 2:00.84.
Taikomochi takes out the Kingston Town Stakes for @GaiWaterhouse1-Bott 💪 pic.twitter.com/HtOagx1kzc
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 19, 2020
His jockey Tim Clark said, “That was a really solidly run 2000 metres, you’d think at a mile and a half [the distance of The Metropolitan] they aren’t going to go as quick, he’s very tough, he’s willing, he gives his all and deserves a shot at a race like that.”
Bred by the South Australian-based Terrann Investments, and cleverly named for the original male geisha of Japan, Taikomochi is the best of five winners left by Geisha (by Fusaichi Pegasus), an unraced half-sister to 2YO Group winner Yes Boss and Listed winner Laguna Lake.
He was bought for $180,000 from the Kitchwin Hills Inglis Easter 2015 draft by Gai Waterhouse & BBA Ireland and has now earned $605,000 from 7 wins (three of them black type) and nine placings in 29 starts for a group of owners including Kate Waterhouse, Just Fun Racing & G1G Racing & Breeding.
Thirty minutes or so after Taikomochi saluted, it was the turn of 6YO Snitzkraft, who ran his rivals ragged to land the $100,000 SAJC W.H. Wylie H. 1100m LR.
Snitzcraft takes out the feature at Morphettville. A treble now for Todd Pannell. @TheRacesSA pic.twitter.com/MdyNVXvAhS
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 19, 2020
That is Snitzkraft’s third Listed victory in a 30-start career that now spans five seasons, 7 wins and five placings for prizemoney of $670,000.
Foaled & raised at Arrowfield, he was passed in at Magic Millions and is trained by Phillip Stokes for his Queensland breeders Mick & Denise Power and friends including AFL legend Leigh Matthews – the trio also raced Snitzel’s first Group 1 winner Sizzling.
Snitzkraft’s dam is the city-winning O’Reilly mare Power O’Raylee, from the family of New Zealand Horse of the Year Uncle Remus, Group 1 winner Heavenly Body and Hong Kong stakeswinner Happy Zero.
Power O’Raylee’s younger progeny include an unraced Dundeel filly named Deal Of Power in the Tony Gollan stable.
It’s no surprise that 61% of the 202 Group & Listed stakes victories on Snitzel’s stud record have been achieved by 2YOs & 3YOs, but his progeny that race on, or come into their own at four & beyond, give him a consistent presence in quality races throughout the year. And they include Group 1 winners I Am Excited, Hot Snitzel, Redzel, Snitzerland, Sweet Idea & Trapeze Artist.
Taikomochi and Snitzkraft were the major contributors to a $258,000 day for Snitzel whose early season Australian record now reads three stakeswinners (equal with Not A Single Doubt and Savabeel) and prizemoney of $1.8 million.
