It’s 1-2-3 for Snitzel in the Widden Stakes

The 2YOs came out to play at Randwick on Saturday as Autumn campaigns began in earnest and Snitzel took just over 64 seconds to stamp his authority on the playground.

His daughter Away Game, heroine of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic RLR, once again displayed her brilliance to win the $160,000 ATC Widden S. 1100m G3 by 2.3 lengths from Torryburn home-bred Centimental & Baramul Stud graduate Philizzy – both also by Snitzel.  

Away Game is Snitzel’s third Widden Stakes winner after Fireworks (2015) and Teaspoon (2017).

.@mmsnippets winner Away Game is in the Slipper! That’s 3 in a row for the @cmaherracing / @eustacedj galloper, and what a tough win it was with @TomMarquand in the saddle… @royalrandwick @atc_races pic.twitter.com/KTECumroER

— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 1, 2020

Jockey Tom Marquand said, “She had to do it the hard way, they didn’t make it easy for me in front. She showed equal measures of grit and determination and she’s clearly very talented and up with the best.”

Trained by Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, who are very ably assisted by Annabel Neasham, Away Game needed the $83,000 winner’s prizemoney because her Magic Millions earnings don’t count towards a start in the $3.5 million Golden Slipper G1.  Maher indicated after the race that if the filly is high enough in the Order of Entry, she may not run again until the Slipper on 21 March.

Snitzel fillies, all sold by Arrowfield, have already filled the first three placings in the Golden Slipper: Estijaab (1st, 2018),  Snitzerland (2nd to Pierro, 2012) and Sweet Idea (3rd to Overreach, 2013)

Away Game (ex Elusive Wonder by Elusive Quality) was a $425,000 Magic Millions purchase by UK-based agent Kerri Radcliffe from her breeder Mill Park Stud. She is raced by an all-women partnership led by American Hannah Mathiesen and including Loretta Fung, wife of Aquis Chairman Tony Fung.

2YO colt Prague (by Redoute’s Choice) completed a notable double for Arrowfield, the Maher & Eustace stable, Marquand and part-owner Aquis Farm when he took out the ATC Canonbury S. G3 on the same card.

The $126,600 lion’s share of the Widden Stakes prizemoney consolidates Snitzel’s recently gained lead on the Australian 2YO Sires’ table and with nine winners of 13 stakes races this season he also leads the General Sires’ list by those metrics.

The three-time Champion Sire has three colts catalogued for the upcoming Inglis Classic Sale, two offered by Arrowfield and one in the Aquis Farm consignment.