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Snowdens Run the Quinella in 2020 Black Opal Stakes

A protest from third placed Cellsabeel wasn’t enough to deny the Snowden camp their third John McGrath Auto Group Black Opal Stake on Sunday 8th March 2020. Peter and Paul Snowden’s Barbaric under Kerrin McEvoy outfought stablemate Bartley to score in the $250,000 Group 3 two-year old feature. Barbaric has since firmed into $26 with TAB for the Golden Slipper.  


The big crowd was treated to an afternoon full of high-class racing. Keith Dryden’s 2019 Kosciuszko winner Handle the Truth dived late in the Affinity Constructions Australia Quality Open Sprint beating off a valiant Royal Witness. Dryden scored a double with promising filly Shores of Avalon taking out the last. The win meant Canberra-based Trainers took out five of the eight races. 


The $150,000 Listed Geocon National Sprint saw a gritty Cuba first to salute the judge, proving too good for Sir Bacchus and Ken’s Dream. The John Thompson trained gelding at the peak of his powers today. 


Day one of the two-day Canberra Carnival, another stellar day of racing lies ahead with TAB Canberra Cup Day. The $250,000 Listed TAB Canberra Cup and the $150,000 Listed XXXX Gold Canberra Guineas headline the Canberra Day public holiday event.