Australia: Snitz looks to rebound in Ramornie Handicap

When he win races, Snitz tends to do so in bunches in Australia.

Snitz won four consecutive starts from September 2017 to March 2018 and four straight races again from last November to May 9. In between those winning streaks, Snitz lost a dozen consecutive races.

A winner of 9 of 26 starts, Snitz was third in the June Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on June 6 at Royal Randwick, finishing three-quarters of a length behind favored Classique Legend at 6-1.

The loss ended the latest winning streak. The setback could be temporary.

A 5-year-old gelding, Snitz will be favored to win his second stakes of 2020 in Wednesday’s $139,600 Ramornie Handicap at six furlongs at Grafton Racecourse. Snitz was 3-1 in a field of 16 in early betting Monday.

Trained by Matthew Dunn, Snitz will be ridden by Matthew McGuren, who was aboard for the gelding’s debut – a win in a maiden race at five furlongs at Grafton in March 2017. McGuren has not ridden Snitz since.

The Ramornie Handicap is a listed stakes, a rare top-class event in the middle of the week in the Australian winter. Snitz carries joint top weight of 130 pounds with Bandipur, who has lost his last four starts.

First post time at Grafton is 10:29 p.m. Eastern, or 7:29 p.m. Pacific, on Tuesday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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Snitz will break from post 6, which should give McGuren strategic options. Boomsara, unraced since January, is quick enough to lead, as is Boomtown Lass, who was fifth in the Ascot Stakes on June 13 at Eagle Farm after setting the pace, and Oakfield Twilight, a longshot.

Hightail and Southern Lad have appealing stakes form and appear the most significant threats to Snitz.

Hightail, who was 11-2 on Monday, won the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas at six furlongs on May 16 and was 12th of 18 in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at seven furlongs on June 6 at Eagle Farm. He can be a factor from off the pace.

Southern Lad, 6-1 on Monday, was second in the June Stakes and third as the 6-5 favorite in the Winter Dash Stakes at six furlongs on June 20 at Randwick. Southern Lad is winless in five starts since a six-furlong handicap at Randwick in January.