With just three two-year-old winners before the dawn of the new year, Snitzel stood some of his main rivals a sizeable start but when his son National Choice made a winning career debut at Geelong on Sunday, Snitzel had taken his tally in Australia to 17 to edge one clear of I Am Invincible.
On the strength of some impressive trackwork and with Damien Oliver making the trip for just one ride, the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained colt was backed into short-priced favouritism for the 1200m maiden.
With just two behind him on the turn, National Choice tracked into the race following the promising Wandjina filly Daisy Cakes and extended impressively in the final 100 metres to win by one and a half lengths.
“With experience, he will be better over further. It worked out well for him getting a three-wide cart into it behind a handy one so it was nice to get that win for the owners,” Kent told racing.com.
“He has worked well and has been strong in the last little bit so that gave us confidence at the 1200m as he was nice and fit and would run it out strongly. It was the perfect experience for him on debut.
“He is one of the nicer ones for sure. He looks awfully immature this horse. He hasn’t got a huge body yet and he is going to develop a lot so it will be up to the boss if he wants to go another step or looked towards the spring.
“He will definitely be a better 3yo as his mom is by Savabeel and won over a mile so I think when he gets over that sought of a journey he can get to that sought of level.”
A $300,000 purchase by M G Price Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd / C B Bloodstock out of the Blue Gum Farm draft out the 2019 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, National Choice is the first to race out of the Sabeel mare My Sabeel.
Indeed, the hard-knocking mare won six and placed ion 16 of her 51 starts with her highlight coming at her 38th start when downing Bennetta in the Group III Toy Show Stakes before finishing second behind Catkins in the Group III Sheraco Stakes.
