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Earlier, he took Plaintiff, a $2.2 million yearling buy for Winx breeder John Camilleri, to an on-pace win over stablemate Nitro. Camilleri also bred and owns Wings Of Desire and made the call to Childs to take over from Tommy Berry, who committed to ride at Doomben on Saturday before the change of dates.
Snowden was unsure of the next step for Plaintiff, but he was certain she would measure up to autumn carnival class over longer distances.
An impressive midweek winner at the track in a fillies and mares maiden on debut over 1200m, Plaintiff was a $3.90 chance to take the next step in a benchmark 72 for three-year-olds over the same trip.
Taken forward by Childs, Plaintiff raced outside leader Supermassive then battled Nitro over the final furlong before holding on by a short head.
Snowden was weighing up giving the filly a spell before targeting high-class autumn races or going for one more run this time in.
“I think she’ll get seven furlongs no problem at all,” Snowden said. “She’s got a bit of quality and she’s got gate speed as well.”
Camilleri was pleased with the win and said he would leave the planning to Snowden.
“She’s well bred and a beautiful-looking filly, and she’s an athlete,” Camilleri said.
“She ticked every box for us, and we didn’t want to leave the Easter sale without her.”
Snowden hopes to get Nitro to the Magic Millions Guineas but is unsure if he has enough prizemoney to make the field.
As for Wings Of Desire, a first-up winner at Caulfield after switching to Begg’s stable, Childs said she would improve off her third behind Bella Corazon and Changing Colours.
“She’s only second up, and with the trip away, I think she will improve out of sight off it,” he said.
Grima off to flyer at new home
Full Hao lifted late to give Siena Grima a first winner under the care of “one of the best jockeys Australia has ever seen” on Sunday at Rosehill.
The three-kilogram claiming apprentice started a three-month loan stint with premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller on Thursday, making the move from Tamworth to Rosehill.
The 23-year-old rode a winner, Laurel Hill, for Canberra trainer Rob Potter on Friday’s Kensington program and backed it up with a Saturday-class victory in the 1800m benchmark 72 handicap.
Full Hao was slow away but charged late to beat Eclair Encore by a half-head, with Waller stablemate Existential Bob a half neck further away.
Waller said the addition of blinkers helped Full Hao, as did a calm ride from Grima, who is learning from Darren Beadman at his stable.
“She’s a good kid and it’s so good having Darren there to help guide her,” Waller said.
“Basically, she’s apprenticed to one of the best jockeys Australia has ever seen. That allows Charlie [Duckworth] and I to do our thing, and Darren can look after Siena. You can’t ask for much more than that.”
Magic Millions circled for colt
The Vo Rogue Plate shaped as a next target for Mortal Halo after he stamped his credentials for a Magic Million Guineas campaign with victory on Sunday at Rosehill.
The Better Than Ready colt, a half-brother to group 1-winner and Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained stablemate Port Lockroy, was a $3.20 favourite for the 1500m benchmark 72 handicap for three and four-year-old and was set a task when Kerrin McEvoy took off mid-race on Automne Tree.
Reece Jones pushed Mortal Halo to the line for a half-length win, his first on a Saturday city card.
“I think he’s a really nice horse and he has a massive stride,” Annabel said.
“If you look at his replays as a two-year-old, he just had no idea where to put his legs.
“I was glad when that other horse whipped around … and he finally had something to follow. He’s pretty untapped and we’ll try to head to the Gold Coast for the three-year-old race.”
Jones said: “He’s probably one of the nicest colts I’ve sat on. He’s just a gentleman, he’s so professional.”
Bella Corazon and Tuned later won to give the stable a treble on the day.
Lees eyes double up
Newcastle trainer Kris Lee was looking to stakes targets with Hawker Hall and Kind Words after they gave him a double at Rosehill on Sunday.
Hawker Hall led all the way in the 1100m benchmark 88 handicap before Kind Words cruised to victory in the 2000m benchmark 78. Lees said Hawker Hall would likely race again in Sydney before potentially going to the Magic Millions Snippets (1200) on the Gold Coast.
He said Kind Words would target the Summer Cup at Randwick on Boxing Day.
