Heavy midweek rainfall in Brisbane has put the George Moore Stakes 2017 run of the Chris Munce-trained Snoopy in danger this weekend.
Heavy rainfall in Brisbane could see Snoopy scratched from the 2017 George Moore Stakes field at Doomben this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Formerly prepared by Hawkes Racing, Lope De Vega five-year-old Snoopy is one of 14 final acceptors for Saturday’s edition of the Group 3 $200,000 George Moore Stakes (1200m).
Munce however has warned the gelding is far from a confirmed runner in the handicap sprint where Snoopy is drawn barrier nine with Ron Stewart on standby for the ride.
The Doomben track was rated a Soft (5) on Wednesday and with more storms and constant rainfall on the forecast right through until next week, there is little chance of anything other than a downgrade of the course.
Back in August of 2015 Snoopy made it three wins on the trot to kick off his career saluting as the odds-on favourite on a Heavy (8) Ballarat track.
He has not raced on anything worse than Soft since and Munce said that would remain true with a George Moore Stakes scratching pending if the wet weather continued.
“At this stage he is running at Doomben on Saturday, but if there is an extreme amount of rain that may change,” Munce told the media on Wednesday.
Snoopy hasn’t raced since his failed run behind Royal Tudor in Rosehill’s Octagonal Handicap (1400m) back in early June.
It was an extremely disappointing effort considering his lead-up run was the eye-catching second to Clearly Innocent at Scone in the Listed Luskin Star Handicap (1300m).
Finishing dead last (12th) in the Octagonal Handicap, Snoopy was subsequently transferred from the Hawkes’ stables in Sydney to Munce’s Brisbane base.
The horse has a strong first-up record of three wins, a second and a third from five resuming runs to date but hasn’t won a race since December of 2016.
Should Snoopy take his place in the George Moore Stakes field, Munce believes he can run a competitive race presenting fit and ready to go fresh.
“The guys who own him [Whitby Bloodstock, Werrett Bloodstock] wanted to give him an opportunity to run in Brisbane over the summer months, so he has been with me for this preparation,” the former top Queensland jockey said.
“I haven’t really done a great deal with him but he is a free-striding little bloke who is ready to go.”
One of the standout George Moore Stakes hopefuls, the Darryl Hansen-trained Monsieur Gustave suffered an early blow drawing the extreme outside barrier (14 of 14).
Apprentice Tiffani Brooker is set to continue her association with the Al Maher five-year-old who comes off a first-up win in the rescheduled Keith Noud Quality (1200m) at Ipswich from November 22.
For all the best weekend racing odds and summer betting markets including those on the George Moore Stakes 2017 in Brisbane, head to Ladbrokes.com.au today.
