The odds of Snitzel siring a Derby winner increased dramatically at Geelong on Wednesday when the unstoppable Ciaron Maher stable sent out the Listed Roderick Insurance Brokers Geelong Classic (2200m) winner Saint Emilion.
Fresh off a maiden win at Goulburn on October 8, Saint Emilion came from the back of the field under Mark Zahra to defeat the Too Darn Hot colt Hot Too Go by one and three-quarter lengths with the Fiorente (IRE) gelding Oxford Blue a short-half-head back in third.
"The team did a great job with him up there; he looks phenomenal," Maher said.
Brendan McCarthy, our chiropractor, looked at him when he first came down, and he was feeling a hammy and he's done a fair bit of work with him
"I think that's the key. You can see how well he looks.
"He's still furnishing and it was just a beautiful ride by Mark.
"He let the speed go, and you could see him just building confidence throughout the run. It's a beautiful ride for a young horse that has needed that sort of confidence."
"I’m rapped for Adam Watt and the Dynamic team. They have a lot of horses with us. Simone is here and they will have a good day and might be going to the Derby.
“Explosive Lad was beaten at Goulburn before he won a couple of derbies, so hopefully he can repeat that.”
If there is a question mark on Saint Emilion’s ability to get the Victorian Derby distance on sire’s side, there is none on his dams.
A $200,000 purchase for Dynamic Syndications/Dean Watt Bloodstock from the Westbury Stud draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Saint Emilion is a three-quarter brother to the Listed ATC Christmas Cup winner Cantonese (Redoute’s Choice) and stakes-placed Chateau Margaux (Redoute's Choice), who on this day in 2014 finished second to Gatewood (GB) in the Geelong Cup.
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Saint Emilion’s unraced half-sister Lake Superior (Encosta de Lago) is the dam of the remarkable Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) the 7-time Group 1 winner of $9.2 million.
Saint Emilion’s dam Kylikwong, was placed in the VRC Oaks, Australasian Oaks, AV Kewney Stakes, VRC Sires' Produce Stakes, Edward Manifold Stakes and South Australian Oaks.
The daughter of Red Ransom is a sister to 5-time Group 1 winner and the 2009-2010 Australin Horse of the Year, Typhoon Tracy.
Twenty-three-year-old Kylikwong has a yearling colt by All Too Hard and visited the Vinery Stud stallion again last spring.
Saint Emilion is the 150th stakes-winner for Arrowfield Stud’s Snitzel.
