Co-trainer Peter Snowden enjoyed his fourth ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes win in 2017 with a return to form for the stable’s gun Snitzel colt Invader on Day 1 of ‘The Championships’ at Royal Randwick.

Invader relished the 1400m at Randwick Racecourse to take out the Inglis Sires’ 2017 for Team Snowden. Photo: Steve Hart.

The up-and-comer had been crying out for the step-up to 1400m and ate up the extra metres to fly home late after a patient ride from Hugh Bowman in the $1 million Group 1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m).

Snowden won the race with Helmet (2011) and Guleph (2013) before combining with his son Paul to take it out with Pride Of Dubai (2015) and now Invader (2016) – the final two both ridden to victory by Bowman.

“He’s always been looking for 1400m,” Paul Snowden told the media post win on Saturday.

“We’ve been waiting and waiting for this to happen.

“Hughie gave him every possible [chance] and he was certainly the strongest late today.”

Runner-up to Gunnison on a Heavy (9) on March 4 in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m), Invader missed the Golden Slipper Stakes and was very impressive taking out the Group 1 on Doncaster Mile Day in an upset over the better-fancied fillies in the field.

The colts bounced back after the girls dominated the Golden Slipper results earlier in the carnival, the first three past the post in the Inglis Sires’ all sons of gun sire Snitzel.

New Zealand-trained visitor Summer Passage was one of the best out of the barriers in his Australian race debut, while the Inglis Sires’ favourite Tulip was second last after settling.

Sircconi led the field around in the early stages, Summer Passage in second from the Gerald Ryan-trained duo of Menari and the Black Opal winner Trapeze Artist who were running just off the pace.

Once the youngsters cornered, Summer Passage and jockey Zac Purton moved up on the outside to hit the lead on the straight.

Tulip was trying, but was caught up on the fence, while Frolic was too wide and couldn’t make up enough ground to challenge.

In a flying late finish, Bowman got Invader out into the clear and the colt charged home hard down the outside hitting the lead to bring down the Kiwi Summer Passage in an impressive victory.

Trapeze Artist rounded out the Inglis Sires’ Produce Stakes Trifecta in third, improving off his last start sixth to She Will Reign in the Golden Slipper.

Bowman remained calm under pressure after getting three back on the fence with nowhere to go, balancing up Invader beautifully to come off the hot speed and really attack the line on the firming track.

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2017 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes Results

Randwick Race 6 – 01/04/2017