Champion trainer Peter Snowden is renowned for not getting ahead of himself with his horses so when he labels one it makes sense to take notice and the horse in question saddles up at Randwick on Saturday.
Four-year-old mare Missile Coda runs in a benchmark 84 handicap over 1200m.
The daughter of Smart Missile won her last start (video below) in emphatic style before being a late scratching at the same track two weeks later after playing up in the barriers.
Missile Coda demolishes her rivals in Race 6 at #Canterbury for @SnowdenRacing1 & @blake_shinn. pic.twitter.com/tXRVMuUufa
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 9, 2017
"She's very, very talented. She's very good," Snowden, who trains in partnership with his son Paul, said. "She's an A-grader I'm telling you.
"Honestly, when she works with Ravi, she works better than her.
"Look that's only a comparison at trackwork but unfortunately, she's losing some of what she's got before the race at the moment.
"When she didn't play up at Canterbury the other day she showed what she's capable of."
Snowden said Missile Coda's barrier manners are the only think holding the mare back.
"She's just got an attitude that doesn't help her," he said. "It all comes undone when she gets behind the gates on raceday.
"It's a slow process, these things can't be fixed overnight. It takes time to get them relaxed and settled, it doesn't matter how much barrier work you do.
"At trackwork she's quiet as a mouse but get there on race day and any noise she hears she thinks the barriers and opening and she has to get out."
Missile Coda is the $4.20 favourite on Saturday and the second emergency but there is already one early scratching.
Meanwhile, Snowden is also expecting another solid showing from his The Everest-bound sprinter Redzel in a star-studded Group II The Shorts (1100m).
Redzel will clash with his The Everest rivals Chautauqua, English and Fell Swoop on Saturday after recording a strong first-up win in the Group III Concorde Stakes (1000m).
@KPMcEvoy is a master distance rider but gives Redzel a 10/10 ride in the 1000m Group 4 Concorde Stakes today at Royal Randwick. pic.twitter.com/3kknoERRul
— David Fox (@treelopper) September 2, 2017
Redzel wins the Concorde Stakes.
"He's straight forward and starting to prove his worth now," Snowden said. "He'll run well again on Saturday."
Redzel is the $2.75 favourite for Saturday's set weights and penalties event ahead of Chautauqua at $3.80 and the $4 third favourite English.
