Paximadia has bounced back from a last-start flop to continue Darley’s dominance of the Group Three Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington.
Trainer Peter Snowden was “bitterly disappointed” with Paximadia’s last start failure in the Gothic Stakes at Caulfield when the three-year-old relinquished the lead and never got into the race, finishing eighth to Hucklebuck.
This time Paximadia ($10) jumped to the front, controlled and then kicked strongly to hold off the favourite Hucklebuck ($2.05) by a long neck with a length to Equator ($4.20) third.
“It’s good to see the horse bounce back today,” Snowden said.
“I was bitterly disappointed about Caulfield, we just gave up our spot in front and he’s a better horse when he can dictate. He did that today to a nicety and it was good to see him win the way he did.”
The victory gave Snowden, jockey Kerrin McEvoy and the Darley team’s third recent Carbine Club Stakes win after victories to Kidnapped in 2009 and Galah in 2011.
Snowden said the Sandown Guineas in two weeks was an option for the colt’s next start.
Paximadia, however, could be among the annual consignment of horses that leave Darley each year to race for Godolphin in the northern hemisphere.