Trainer Neville Parnham doesn’t believe a wide draw will impinge on the chances of his promising three-year-old Snowdome at Ascot’s season-opening meeting on Saturday.
The exciting son of Rommel lines up in the $100,000 Crown Perth 3YO Classic (1000m) and comes into barrier 10, the widest gate, after the scratching of Princess Anja.
Despite having to contend with an awkward draw, Parnham hasn’t lost confidence in Snowdome and firmly believes the talented colt can still play a part in the finish.
A winner of last season’s WA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Snowdome races first up on the back of defeating classy sprinter Miss Conteki in a Belmont Park trial.
Parnham says he will pin his faith in jockey son, Brad Parnham, to help offset what could prove to be a sticky starting gate for Snowdome.
“The barrier certainly didn’t help us, but I couldn’t be asking any more from the horse to be going any better than he is currently,” Parnham said on Tabradio.
“He’s been lining up against some pretty good older horses in the trials and he has gone really well.
“A 1000m and a lot of speed inside him will be a little bit harder for Brad to navigate, but it might give us an opportunity to tuck him in somewhere.
“I’ll leave that for Brad to sort out, but we’re expecting him to run well.”
With Tabtouch, Snowdome is a $5.50 chance. The $180,000 Magic Millions yearling sits behind All Show ($2.20) and Rumour Says ($4).
Parnham thinks the two current market leaders pose the biggest threat to Snowdome.
“It’s (All Show) had a short trial and a win in race conditions and you would think on current form it’s the one we all will be looking at,” Parnham said.
“But there’s a lot of depth in these three-year-old’s and from here we will see which ones have come on as two-year-old’s.
“All Show has put its hand up and the day it ran second to Snowdome it was an excellent run.
“It’s well respected by me.
“And obviously there is Luke Fernie’s horse (Rumour Says).
‘I know it was winter form, but it’s been impressive in what it did.
“That’s only two of a few of them and I think it will be an intriguing race.”
Parnham hopes the Crown Perth 3YO Classic can launch Snowdome’s campaign towards the Group 2 WA Guineas (1600m) in November.
“My thoughts are that I would like to test him as a Guineas prospect,” Parnham said.
“We’ll play it by ear and if it’s beyond him we can come back to the Placid Ark (1200m) or something.”