Snitzel’s double milestone weekend
Snitzel, here with Arrowfield Stallion Manager Joe Hickey, has averaged 23 stakes wins each season for the past decade. (PHOTO: Joan Faras)
Over-achievement is standard operating procedure for Champion Sire Snitzel and just a week after his daughter Lady Shenandoah’s second Group 1 victory, he has notched up two milestone wins, on both sides of the Tasman.
On Champions Day at Ellerslie, New Zealand, Te Akau Racing’s 2YO colt Return To Conquer won the NZ$550,000 Sistema S. 1200m G1, holding out the Cody Cole-trained Landlock by a half-head.
That extends Snitzel’s elite statistics to 22 Group 1 winners, 7 2YO Group 1 winners & 28 Group 1 wins. Return To Conquer is the third son of Snitzel to win the Sistema Stakes, following Sword Of State (2021) & Summer Passage (2014).
It is also the 100th Group 1 victory for Te Akau Racing whose principal David Ellis purchased Return To Conquer for $1.3 million from Blue Gum Farm at Magic Millions 2024. He is Snitzel’s 4th seven-figure yearling to succeed at the highest level, after Wandjina, Estijaab & Switzerland.
What a finish in New Zealand!
Return To Conquer WINS the G1 Sistema Stakes at Ellerslie! 🏆@blake_shinn pic.twitter.com/YVD95NB1fj
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 8, 2025
Co-trainer Mark Walker explained Return To Conquer’s flawless record of four wins, all in Group & Listed company from 4 starts in succinct terms. “He has a great temperament, is bombproof and he is unbeaten for a reason as he has the will to win.”
A decision on a start in the $5 million Golden Slipper G1 on 22 March will be made next week.
Bred by Mike Howard, Return To Conquer is out of Vaujany, an unraced daughter of Lonhro and dual Group winner Portillo.
The same cross produced Snitzel’s other milestone winner this weekend. That was 5YO gelding Sandpaper whose gritty, front-running effort in Friday’s $250,000 Newcastle S. 1400m G3 brought up the 300th stakes win of Snitzel’s career.
Sandpaper WINS the Newcastle Stakes for @BBakerRacing! 🏆
What a ride from Amenable on the outside too! pic.twitter.com/Bu4IVmRoWR
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 7, 2025
Sandpaper’s jockey Tim Clark said, “He’s been racing in fantastic form…He was there to be beaten today but he kept responding.”
Sandpaper (ex Smooth, a full sister to champion Pierro) won the 2022 Gothic S. LR and two other races for Godolphin before his $130,000 Inglis Digital sale last September to Darby Racing, which sent him to Bjorn Baker. His two wins and three placings for his new owners have added almost $300,000 to his career earnings and he is nominated for the $4 million Doncaster Mile G1 on 5 April.
Snitzel has 45 yearlings catalogued for Inglis Easter 2025, including 3 fillies & 7 colts offered by Arrowfield, and Lot 245, Evergreen Stud’s filly from the Lonhro mare Vanilla Princess.
