Well-bred Airburst ready to break through at Taree

A filly formerly prepared by Chris Waller is poised to break her maiden for new trainer Paul Snowden at Taree on Tuesday.

The lightly raced Airburst, a daughter of group 1 winners Zoustar and Red Tracer, is a three-year-old that had her first seven starts for Waller, yielding two placings.

Since joining Snowden, Airburst has had three starts, finishing second at Taree and Port Macquarie either side of a fourth at Taree.

She lines up in Tuesday’s Thank You Cafe Nosh Country Boosted Maiden Handicap (1412m) with Ben Looker taking the ride.

“Obviously she’s a very well-bred filly and has a lot to live up to in that regard,” Snowden said. “She’s pleased me since she arrived in my stable and all of her three starts have been solid.

“Her mother [Red Tracer] was a good wet-tracker, and Airburst has handled them [wet tracks], so that’s in her favour heading into Tuesday.

“She’s drawn a good gate and can take up a striking position, and Ben [Looker] has been on her in all her starts for me, so he knows her very well now, too.”

Looker will also link with Snowden for his only other runner of the day at Taree when Darn Deadly lines up in the Events @ MVRC Class 3 Handicap (1412m).

Darn Deadly was a winner at Taree in her first start for Snowden in January. She’s had two starts back from a spell this preparation and finished third at Taree when last produced.

“She’s shown talent, and it wasn’t a bad effort at her latest start when she was placed behind a handy horse in Antilopini,” Snowden said. “She got through the heavy track well enough in that event and looks like getting the same conditions on Tuesday.”

Looker has a handy book of five rides at Taree, including impressive last-start Grafton winner Red Spector for Jake Hull in the Winning Post Function Centre Class 3 Handicap (1262m). Looker was aboard last time out on Red Spector, which is also an acceptor in Darn Deadly’s event in which no rider was declared.

Supplied by Racing NSW.