Snitzel completes Group 1 double & quinella
Two days after Summer Passage became Snitzel’s 7th Group 1 winner, stablemates Russian Revolution & Redzel gave him his first Group 1 quinella in the $700,000 ATC The Galaxy 1100m G1.
It was a tremendous performance by both horses and a notable achievement by their trainers Peter & Paul Snowden, especially as they presented 3YO colt Russian Revolution for the first time since his Spring campaign, which yielded two Group wins and a fourth in the Coolmore Stud S. G1.
Russian Revolution’s fresh state was evident as he went to the gates and he was re-shod there after casting a plate, but he quickly put that hiccup behind him. Jungle Edge took up the early running and Russian Revolution follow Redzel wide around the turn.
Redzel forged ahead and finally collared Jungle Edge at the 200-metre mark, but Russian Revolution simply wouldn’t give up and found enough under pressure to snatch a short neck victory, with Jungle Edge a brave third.
Watch Russian Revolution & Redzel quinella The Galaxy G1.
Peter Snowden said he was confident Russian Revolution’s allotted 51kg would be in the colt’s favour on a deteriorating track.
“We knew the weight was going to kick in at some stage and it was probably the difference over the last 100 metres. He’s been very full of himself in the last week or so….He’s been ready to go.”
Russian Revolution (ex Ballet d’Amour by Stravinsky) is Snitzel’s eighth Group 1 winner and second Galaxy winner after Sweet Idea in 2015. Like Redzel, he is among the 21 stakeswinners that are building a potentially record-setting season for the son of Redoute’s Choice. The Galaxy win also completed a Rosehill double for jockey Kerrin McEvoy, who rode Our Ivanhowe to success in the Ranvet S. G1 earlier in the day.
Russian Revolution’s five wins from his six starts have returned well over twice the $320,000 that Michael Wallace & China Horse Club paid for him at the 2015 Inglis Easter Sale where he was offered by Vinery Stud. He is raced by China Horse Club and his breeder John Stuart Investments with Newgate Farm, Matthew Sandblom and Sir Owen Glenn.
Bred by Lee Fleming, Redzel was a $120,000 buy from Marquee Stud for Chris & Michael Ward’s Triple Crown Syndications at the 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale. Triple Crown owners have previously enjoyed success with Group 1 winner Hot Snitzel and Group 2 winner Flying Snitzel.
The $2.5 million weight-for-age T.J. Smith Stakes 1200m G1 back at Randwick on 1 April, Day 1 of The Championships, must now be on the horizon for both Russian Revolution and Redzel.
In the meantime, their quinella has pushed Snitzel through the $10 million mark in Australia for the first time, and he maintains his No. 1 position on the Australian General Sires’ list, more than $1 million ahead of Street Cry.
