Snitzel filly waltzes to Listed victory
Snitzel, the five-time Champion Sire of Australia, here with Arrowfield’s Stallion Manager Joe Hickey, has stamped a sensational era in Australian breeding & racing history. (PHOTO: Joan Faras)
Meeting a hot favourite at level weights that had beaten her last start intimidated neither 3YO filly Bridal Waltz, nor her jockey Ben Melham in Saturday’s $175,000 VRC A.R. Creswick S. 1200m LR.
The pair went straight to the front, setting a strong pace, with Fieldelo and favourite She’s An Artist (by Snitzel’s champion son Trapeze Artist) looking ominously comfortable outside her until the 300-metre mark when they were asked to extend and found that Bridal Waltz had an even faster dance in her repertoire.
She held off She’s An Artist to score by 0.75 length in 1:09.75, becoming Champion Sire Snitzel’s first stakeswinner since his death on 11 June, and the 161st stakeswinner of his extraordinary career. He retains his lead on the 2024/25 Australian General Sires’ Premiership by stakeswinners (18) and stakes wins (24).
Return To Conquer & Little Black Dress (in New Zealand) and Cap Ferrat (in Hong Kong) take Snitzel’s worldwide season tally to 21 winners of 30 Group & Listed Races.
Bridal Waltz grabbed the lead early & clings on to cause a major boilover to hold off the heavy favourite in the A.R. Creswick Stakes 😤@moodyracingpgm @bmelham pic.twitter.com/wtkHsIWAyI
— Racing.com (@Racing) July 5, 2025
Jockey Ben Melham said, “We drew the right barrier to be able to control the speed, I felt from that draw, I’d be able to dictate the rest of the field out to probably what’s the little bit worse going. That was probably the difference.
“In saying that, my filly dug really deep when I needed her to, she got into a lovely rhythm for me…she was a fit horse, and she let down too good for them in the end.”
Bridal Waltz has now won four of her 11 starts and $351,000 for owner-breeder Deanna Pope’s Pope Racing, which has also placed her 2YO full sister Eyes Of Blue with the Moody & Coleman stable.
The fillies’ dam Charleston Dancer (by Lonhro), a daughter of multiple Group winner & stakes producer Innovation Girl, has also left She Dances (7 wins inc. Northwood Plume S. G3).
The Snitzel/Lonhro cross has produced 5 stakeswinners from only 24 named foals, including this season’s 2YO Group 1 winner Return To Conquer.
