Growing maturity and a preference for starting fresh have propelled King Of Roseau to reliable performances over the preceding twelve months, and Peter Snowden is sure the gelding is set for victories aplenty.
Since his runner-up spot in a benchmark at the prior Gosford meeting, King Of Roseau has raced nine occasions for five wins—three stakes level—coupled with a second and two fourths.
On Saturday he debuts this campaign in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) and Snowden looks forward to a sharp effort.
“He has really jumped out of the ground in the last twelve months,” Snowden said.
“He has come of age and he’s getting consistent.
“He’s got some lofty heights ahead of him this ‘prep’, but it starts off with Saturday, then hopefully three weeks later the Kingsford-Smith (Cup) and maybe, if he’s going well enough, the Stradbroke (Handicap).”
King Of Roseau spelled after February’s Liverpool City Cup (1300m) and draws barrier six from 13 on return.
With 60kg to carry, Snowden plans for the gelding to track midfield and be poised approaching the home turn.
“There’s a couple who go quick, but it’s not like they’re going to fly and from a middle gate, he should be able to keep a midfield spot quite comfortably,” he said.
“If he does, half the job is done. It’s better to be sitting four or five (lengths) off them than ten or twelve.”
The trainer also saddles Unspoken in the Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m), who requires better after recent failures, and Touristic may appear.
Touristic excels in the wet but Saturday is dry, tempting Snowden to bypass for Brisbane’s rainy outlook next week.
“There’s Brisbane next week and it’s supposed to rain up there all next week, so it’s tempting to wait,” Snowden said.
“But I’ve been here before and nothing happens, so we might be better off taking this race.
“It’s nearly D-day for Unspoken. He’s been a bit frustrating and has had a few little issues and been a bit hard to manage of late. He needs to show us something on Saturday or that might be spell time for him.”
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