The Chris Munce trained Snoopy will have the blinkers back on to help him focus when he lines up in today’s Listed $160,000 GDSC Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton.
Snoopy, above, will wear the blinkers in the 2018 Ramornie Handicap at Graftion. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Munce believes that Snoopy hasn’t been concentrating on the job at hand in recent outings and is hoping the addition of the blinkers will help him improve on his last start ninth, beaten two and a quarter lengths, behind Spright in the Group 3 $175,000 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on June 23.
“I’ve also put blinkers on him to get him to focus a bit more as I think he’s been a bit clever in his runs lately. I’d love him to be box seating in the run and if he’s on his A-game he’s certainly going to be in the finish,” Munce said.
Kiwi based jockey Mark Du Plessis get the ride again and Munce can see Snoopy getting the run of the race from barrier four in the capacity sixteen horse Ramornie Handicap field.
“He’s finally drawn a nice barrier in gate four which is certainly a huge advantage for a horse like him,” Munce said.
Snoopy kicked off his current campaign with a solid first up second to Guard Of Honour in the $90,000 Bat Out Of Hell (900m) at the Gold Coast on May 5 followed by a fourth to Tarzan in the Listed $100,000 Lightning Handicap (1000m) at the Sunshine Coast on June 2 before his latest effort in the W.J. Healy Stakes.
Betting for the Ramornie Handicap at Ladbrokes.com.au has Snoopy marked as a $12 chance while Gold Coast trainer Toby Edmonds will saddle up the top two in the market, Tyzone at $3.70 and Havasay at $4.20.
Tyzone will jump from gate six with Glen Colless in the saddle replacing Jeff Lloyd who has been aboard the gelding for his last three starts for wins at the Gold Coast and at Doomben in restricted grade followed by a nose second to I’m A Rippa in the Listed $175,000 City Of Ipswich Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) at Ipswich on June 16.
Havasay is a recent acquisition to the Edmonds stable as his former trainer Liam Birchley is banned from running his horses in New South Wales pending the outcome of his appeal for a one year disqualification arising out of the Aquanita inquiry.
Havasay is coming off a last start third in the W.J. Healy Stakes and has drawn in close at barrier two with Matt McGillivray to ride again.
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