Snitzel’s Wee Nessy wins Crockett Stakes
Arrowfield-bred filly Wee Nessy (Snitzel-Later Gator) and James McDonald power to victory in the William Crockett S. LR on Cox Plate day at The Valley. (PHOTO: Darren Tindale)
Waiting for Snitzel’s stakeswinners this Spring hasn’t required too much patience, because he’s averaged better than one a fortnight.
And right on schedule, along comes Arrowfield graduate Wee Nessy to become Snitzel’s 7th stakeswinner since 1 August – and the 127th of his career – with an ebullient victory in the $175,000 William Crockett S. 1200m LR at The Valley on Cox Plate day.
Star jockey James McDonald – who later won the Cox Plate on Anamoe – was full of praise for Wee Nessy’s effort, her third win from 7 starts.
“She won with a bit in hand. I think she’s a smart filly. She was very quick away and I planned to ride her quieter.
“She was stuck in ‘no man’s land’ for a little bit of the race, but as the tempo came out of the race I let her slide forward, and she really enjoyed that…She’s quite a smart filly and I was pretty rapt with her.”
Valuable black type for the well-bred Wee Nessy as the @MickPriceRacing trained 3yo Snitzel filly wins the Listed Crockett Stakes for @mcacajamez on #CoxPlate day @TheValley. @ArrowfieldStud @MichaelRhysKent @mmsnippets @barry_bowditch @sallyegordon @Alison_Brassil @jonfreyer pic.twitter.com/k8BL90ve2a
— Breedingracing.com (@BreedingRacing) October 22, 2022
Wee Nessy is the fourth foal of Later Gator (by More Than Ready), a city-winning & stakes-placed grand-daughter of multiple Group winner Light Up The World. Go back another couple of generations and there’s the celebrated “blue hen” Denise’s Joy, ancestress of Group 1 winners Euphoria, Fenway, Kementari, More Joyous, Secret Agenda, Sunday Joy, Thorn Park & Tuesday Joy among many other stakeswinners.
Other stakeswinners bred on the Snitzel/More Than Ready cross are $2.4 million earner Exhilarates and multiple Listed winner Scallopini.
A bid of $400,000 by Melbourne-based Flying Angels and AJRB secured the yearling Wee Nessy from Magic Millions and she is raced by Ciaran & Maree Kayes and Proko Athanasakos (who also raced Arrowfield-bred Group winner Flying Evelyn) with Barragunda Racing & Arrowfield.
Wee Nessy is the 4th stakes-winning graduate by Snitzel from Magic Millions 2021, after Best Of Bordeaux, Lofty Strike & Stroll.
Later Gator has a 2YO Snitzel colt named Snapback, winner of his first trial last month from the Snowden stable, and a yearling filly by Dundeel, and has returned to Snitzel this season.
Arrowfield is also breeding from Wee Nessy’s three-quarter sister In A While (by Redoute’s Choice), who has a yearling filly by Shalaa and foaled a Maurice colt earlier this month.
Manikato S. G1 third Best Of Bordeaux and stakes-placed Dashing Legend joined Wee Nessy to keep Snitzel in the front line of what is already a fascinating and highly competitive battle for 2022/23 stallion premiership honours.
