Godolphin’s regally bred three-year-old Snitzel colt Sandpaper had little luck in three stakes races before finding conditions to suit in Saturday’s Listed Stow Storage Gothic Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Ridden by Jamie Kah for James Cummings, Sandpaper rode the early speed before holding the Toronado (IRE) colt Angry Skies by a long-head with the pacesetting Shalaa (IRE) colt Custodian three-quarters of a length back in third.
A Godolphin homebred, Sandpaper is the first foal of the unraced Lonhro mare Smooth, a sister to the champion Pierro.
Cummings said Sandpaper shapes as an ideal Carbine Club contender.
“I thought it was really instructive for us. We’d been at a crossroads with Sandpaper and we’d been struck by the horse being somewhat of a promising miler,” Cummings said.
“I’ve just never been able to get the right setup with the horse, but my assistant trainer, Paul Reid, rang me on Wednesday afternoon and asked if I had been watching Caulfield..
“‘Are you sure you want to run him on a Heavy 10?’, he asked. But Tim Bailey has been amazing for this track this year and if anyone can get it into the soft range it’d be him, so we loaded the horse up into the float and sent him down.
“He looked good before the race like he was about to walk out onto a soft track and be able to deliver with the right setup and getting up in trip, he’s potentially Carbine Club (Stakes) horse.”
Kah said she had to disobey riding instructions on Sandpaper.
“The first thing I said to James just then was ‘I’m really sorry’. The plan was to be neutral an get him just to finish off and then go onto that race but when I jumped in a hundred metres I had no option because he jumped so well and travelled so well,” Kah said.
“He is a beautiful horse and he’ll definitely get further off that.”
Sandpaper’s dam Smooth never made it to the races after three barrier trials.
Smooth is a sister to Pierro and half-sister to Group II Wakeful Stakes winner Ambience (Street Cry), who was runner-up in the Group 1 ATC Oaks, Group 1 Queensland Oaks, and third in the Group 1 Victoria Oaks.
After missing to Snitzel in 2019, Smooth foaled an Exceed And Excel filly last spring before visiting Godolphin’s triple Group 1 winner Ghaiyyath (IRE) (Dubawi).
Sandpaper is the 126th stakes-winner for Arrowfield Stud’s multiple champion stallion Snitzel.
