Quality two-year-olds assemble for Clan O’Sullivan

Peter and Paul Snowden will debut smart two-year-old King of Roseau in Friday’s $50,000 Aquis Park – Gold Coast Turf Club Clan O’Sullivan (1000m). A son of Capitalist, King of Roseau, has impressed at the trials, winning his last at Rosehill earlier this month. 

His trial was the second quickest of the juveniles that day and Trainer Paul Snowden is excited to see what he can product on race day. 

“He’s a smart horse.” Snowden said. “We don’t know where his roof is.”

“He was qualified for the juvenile race and could have targeted the Magic Millions but we just thought he wasn’t ready for that kind of pressure.”

“This looks like the perfect race for him and he could end up anywhere, he could be a Blue Diamond horse.”

King Of Roseau is joined by seven other two-year-olds in what looks a quality contest. Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott’s Madrina was strong on debut when second and showed great tactical speed to find the front that day.

Madrina will jump from barrier 6, one outside King Of Roseau, and while he has shown great speed at his public outings, Snowden isn’t desperate to find the front.

“He’s found the front in all of his trials so he’ll butter up in the front two or three but (Tom) Sherry knows the horse very well so will make that decision if something wants to go too fast.”

The Clan O’Sullivan holds ballot exemption for the first two horses, into the Group 3 John McGrath Auto Group Black Opal Stakes in March 2024. 

Friday’s Clan O’Sullivan is also the first leg in the $450,000 Canberra Speed Series, where a $100,000 bonus is available for any horse that can win three designated juvenile races in Canberra, culminating in the Black Opal Stakes.

Tomorrow’s program is a mouth-watering proposition for racing fans, with a rare 10-race card to be dished up in the Nation’s Capital.

The TAB Federal (1400m), earlier in the day is another headline act with last start TAB Highway runner-up Dorami looking to go one better this time for Norm Gardner.