The Winx Guineas hasn’t always been a target race for Xidaki, but connections are warming to his chances.
Peter Snowden is the first to admit Xidaki‘s preparation hasn’t quite gone to script, but he remains confident the three-year-old can overcome the interruptions and give the Winx Guineas a shake.
Xidaki had been scheduled to run at Rosehill on June 1 as a final lead-up to his main goal, the Gunsynd Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm two weeks later.
But the Sydney meeting was called off halfway through and he missed a crucial start, putting Snowden on the back foot.
Xidaki was rerouted to Randwick seven days later to take on the older horses and finished a gallant second to War Eternal, but by then Snowden decided a seven-day back-up in Brisbane was too much to ask.
“I didn’t want to do that because when I took him up for his first start there in the Gold Coast Guineas, he really lightened up a lot from the trip,” Snowden said.
“I was worried about putting him on the float on Wednesday and backing up in that sort of race.
“I elected to give him a trial because I missed that run with him and he is going to go up there in good order this week.
“It’s not a perfect preparation, but it’s as good as it can be with what time we had to work with.”
Xidaki will go into Saturday’s Group 3 Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast having had a month between runs, but Snowden is banking on that trial at Randwick last Friday topping up his fitness.
A Listed winner over 1400m, he is untested over further, and while he has does have solid form on wet tracks – his last-start second coming on a heavy 9 at Randwick – Snowden is hoping the Caloundra track isn’t bottomless.
“He is going very well. His trial was great here the other day and his last run was excellent,” Snowden said.
“It’s his first time at a mile but I don’t think that will be a problem for him.
“The only thing is, that Sunshine Coast heavy is very, very heavy. He is OK on softish ground, on a seven or eight, but those heavy ‘twelves’ they get up there, hopefully we don’t get one of those.”
Xidaki, to be ridden by James Orman, is on the second line of betting for the Winx Guineas at $3.70, behind the emerging Know Thyself who remains a solid $2.30 favourite.
