Detective undercover no more
Snitzel’s high-powered start to the season continued on Saturday when 3YO colt Detective proved too strong in the $120,000 VRC Exford Plate 1400m LR.
Despite drawing eleven of 12 runners, Detective jumped brilliantly for Chris Parnham who slid him across to settle second behind the early leader Zunbaqa, with Tessra in third.
That order didn’t change until the 300-metre mark when Detective pounced on Zunbaqa and drove clear, holding off the dogged finish of Tessera by three-quarters of a length, with Throssell third and Zunbaqa boxing on well for fourth.
Watch Detective win the VRC Exford Plate LR.
Detective is a good example of a colt that has benefited from careful development as a juvenile, when he finished second in four of his five starts, including runner-up finishes to Capitalist in the ATC Breeders’ Plate LR and to Seaburge in the VRC Sires’ Produce S. G2.
His progress was evident in his 3YO debut win at Wyong on 28 August and with a Flemington stakes win behind him, the path to the Caulfield Guineas G1 on 8 October looks rather more certain.
Detective was bred by the partnership responsible for last year’s Thousand Guineas G1 winner Stay With Me: Arrowfield, Alan Jones & John Leaver, and was offered under the Arrowfield banner at the 2015 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale where James Harron bought him for $220,000.
Snitzel’s 42nd stakeswinner, Detective is trained by Peter & Paul Snowden for his owners Belinda Bateman, Newgate Farm, Matthew Sandblom, Fergus & Delia Doyle, John & Fran Ingham, Donna & Rob Love, Gary Diamond, Danny & Pauline Saab and APB International.
Detective is the third winner, after Bourne Supremacy and Secret Doubt, out of Covertly (by Metal Storm), winner of the WATC Railway S. G1 and third in the AJC Flight S. G1. She has since delivered two full brothers to Detective, the first a $170,000 buy for Paul Perry at the 2016 Magic Millions Sale, and the second a just-turned yearling. Covertly is due to foal this month to Champion European sprinter-miler Olympic Glory.
Snitzel has quickly notched up five Australian stakeswinners since 1 August: 3YO colts Detective, Russian Revolution & Thronum, and 4YOs Redzel & Arrowfield graduate Sooboog. The son of Redoute’s Choice retains his early lead on the Australian General Sires’ table with $1.2 million, around $200,000 ahead of Medaglia D’Oro, and also heads the list by winners (31) and stakeswinners.
