Easy debut win by Snitzel 2YO colt

A few hours before Shamus Award broke his maiden in spectacular fashion at Moonee Valley, Snitzel’s fifth crop son Headwater Country made a brilliant debut over 900 metres at the Gold Coast.

The 2YO colt jumped well and joined Lovelife to put three lengths on the rest of the field. When jockey Mitch Speers asked for a final effort effort from Headwater Country bounded away in the straight to win by 6.8 lengths, cutting out the final 600 metres in a tick over 34 seconds.

Speers said, “Headwater Country was a real little professional and all I had to do was point him in the right direction.”

Headwater Country is trained by Liam Birchley for owner-breeder Peter Marshall of Marshall Thoroughbreds. His dam Perkipsey (by Falbrav) is an unraced relative of Group 1 winners Rebel Raider, Able One and A Little Kiss.

Snitzel also added a new Group performer to his record today when Checkpoint (ex Kelcheck by Keltrice) was third in the $125,000 WATC Prince of Wales S. G3, beaten less than a length by Barakey. Checkpoint is trained by Neville Parnham who paid $70,000 for him at the 2010 Magic Millions Perth Sale.