Golden Slipper winner Forensics cemented her comeback with a spectacular victory in the $A1 million ($NZ1.16 million) Golden Rose at Rosehill yesterday.
The victory continued the rise of Peter Snowden in the training ranks. As she did in the Light Fingers Stakes, Forensics came from the back ofthe field with a powerful run down the outside to claim the Group Two race from stablemate El Cambio by 1 3/4 lengths.
El Cambio started favourite after a market reshuffle when Mimi Lebrock was taken out after hitting her head in the barriers. But all honours were with the winner who became the first Golden Slipper winner to claim the 1400m feature since its inception five years ago.
Snowden took on the job as pilot of the Ingham family's Crown Lodge operation late last year when John Hawkes decided to go it alone and has come to the fore in recent weeks, including a five-win haul at Randwick two weeks ago.
"I'm really rapt and to get the quinella in a million-dollar race is fantastic," Snowden said.
"I didn't think there was much between the two horses but Forensics had such a bad barrier [13] and I thought that would tell. She gets back and to give horses eight or nine lengths on the turn, she is amazing."
Forensics had a less than memorable spring campaign in Melbourne but after a spell she was back in work in Victoria supervised by Snowden's son Paul.
"I really have to think what to do now. The Coolmore Classic is an option but we have to be careful how we place her now.
"She has won a lot and will get weighted out of some races."
Snowden said he would reconsider plans for El Cambio.
"This was to be his grand final, he was peaking for this," he said.
"But we will reassess things and he may have another run."
