WA Hall Of Fame trainer Neville Parnham is excited about Snowdome’s return and thinks he can be a genuine winning chance at Ascot on Saturday.
Parnham says he’s got Snowdome going as well as he can ahead of the Tabtouch Prince Of Wales Stakes (1000m), his first visit to the race track since June.
Snowdome campaigned consistently over the summer and winter months in 2023, earning a cheque in all seven appearances following three wins and four placings.
Snowdome has drawn barrier seven in the Prince Of Wales Stakes and will have the riding services of Parnham’s son, Chris. The son of Rommell is rated a $10 chance.
A $180,000 Perth Magic Millions yearling, he sits behind Red Can Man ($2.90), My Bella Mae ($3.80), Hot Zed ($5) and Laverrod ($9.50) in current Tabtouch markets.
Parnham, who elected not to trial Snowdome, said he was confident his charge could cause a mini upset in the Prince Of Wales Stakes.
“He’s going really well and I couldn’t be any happier with the way he’s been working,” Parnham said on Tabradio.
“He finished off his last campaign really well and has come back a bit bigger and probably a bit stronger.
“He’s a bit of a changed horse as a four-year-old, he’s really developing and looking good, but I think there is more to come from a horse like him.
“I was looking at trialling him, but his last two gallops were super and he’s at the best of his game.”
Parnham says he will leave riding instructions to his son, but admitted starting from gate seven of nine in the Prince Of Wales Stakes could be awkward to overcome for a jump and run horse.
“He’s always been a good worker, but is learning to settle a bit more,” Parnham said.
“It’s a high class sort of field and he’s drawn a bit awkward.
“A little bit against him is first up he’s fresh and whether he wanted to jump and run.
“That could be a little against him, but I’ll leave that up to Chris, he’ll work it out.
“I expect Red Can Man to take up a prominent position and River Beau is quick.
“Hopefully he (Chris Parnham) makes the right decisions and he (Snowdome) can really be competitive on Saturday.”
Parnham believes Snowdome, a winner of the G3 WA Sires’ (1400m) as a two-year-old, deserves to add more black-type to his racing resume.
“It’s a good test for him and I think everybody acknowledges that the horse has always shown the ability to get to this level,” Parnham said.
“Some things that let him down as a younger horse was going out a bit too hard and leaving him a bit gassed at the finish.
“He used to sweat up a bit pre-race, but over the winter he hardly sweated at all.
“I’m hoping all that’s behind him and we can see the horses ability come race day in this type of company.”
Snowdome holds a nomination for the G1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) on December 2 and G3 Damien Oliver-The Gold Rush on December 16.
Julio Santarelli