Snitzerland a gem in Blue Sapphire

Not for the first time, Snitzerland was superior to the colts in the $250,000 Blue Sapphire (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Snitzerland is unbeaten in four runs this spring and will sign off in the G1 VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on November 3.  She started the season with a G3 victory in the San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill before travelling south to win the G2 Danehill Stakes at Flemington and G3 Champagne Stakes at Moonee Valley.

“What more can you do?” trainer Gerald Ryan said.  “She has beaten the colts more than she’s beaten the fillies and she keeps digging.”

Snitzerland (3f Snitzel – Monte Rosa by Fraar) showed plenty of tenacity to fight off Fire Thunderbolt (California Dane) and Lankan Rupee (Redoute’s Choice).  She was a $125,000 buy from Bellerive Stud at the 2011 Inglis Melbourne Premier sale for Neil Werrett and Steve McCann and has now earned in excess of $1.32 million.

Arrowfield resident Snitzel sired a winning treble on Saturday – Malavio was an odds-on winner at Rosehill and Petrol Power scored on debut at Belmont.

Malavio claimed the Listed Civic Stakes at Rosehill in June and returned there to win again despite going down on his nose at the start.  “He’s a young, strong horse who looks very exciting.” trainer Steve Englebrecht said.  “We will set him for Villiers Stakes in December.”

Malavio (4g Snitzel – Win Here Win There by Dehere) is raced by owner-breeder Ottavio Galletta and is from a city-winning daughter of Flemington stakes winner Our Fiction.  Win Here Win There foaled a filly by Snitzel last month.

The interstate treble has taken Snitzel past seven-figures on the Australian sires’ premiership.  He’s in the Top 10 with 25 winners of $1,250,330.

– Karl Patterson