Snoopy Now set for Victorian test in Darren Galley Mile at Flemington
Port Adelaide Guineas winner Snoopy Now has bounced back to winning ways, and trainer Darryl Hewitt has him poised to give his rivals a shake in Saturday's Darren Galley Mile at Flemington.
Following an unplaced run in the $1m SA Derby, Snoopy Now powered home to win a Benchmark 74 at Murray Bridge last month, setting up the gelding's first interstate tilt on Saturday.
A quirky son of Sir Prancealot, Snoopy Now was a bargain buy Hewitt purchased for less than $5000 on an online sale.
The three-year-old has now accumulated $185k in earnings, with two wins from 11 starts.
'He worked well again on Tuesday,' Hewitt, who trains at Karoonda, said.
'The last sectionals for him at Murray Bridge last start were pretty good.
'That track was a little bit firm, and you know he handles any wet, I think it's a slow (Soft) 7 over there at the moment.
'It'll hopefully help him a bit, obviously if you're going over there there's going to be some nice ones around.'
Snoopy Now, the winner of the Port Adelaide Guineas, is far too good at the Bridge ðŸ'« @murtagh_connor pic.twitter.com/JnNZmvidI8
— Racing.com (@Racing) May 24, 2025
Snoopy Now, will be without his partner in crime, Sir Now, for the trip to Victoria.
Sir Now is set for a freshen up after dead-heating for first at Morphettville last Saturday.
'I had them both nominated. There's nothing wrong with Sir Now, he's been bouncing around like a lunatic,' he said.
'I thought he done it hard (last start), pushing up on the inside, on the worst part of the going, all the way up the straight.'
• Kimochi heads into unknown for Group 1 double shot
English jockey Connor Murtagh will make the journey to Melbourne for the ride, the in-form hoop has ridden five winners in the past week, and has been aboard for both of Snoopy Now's career wins.
The gelding was also nominated for a Benchmark 76 (1550m) at Morphettville Parks on Saturday, but Hewitt deemed the Melbourne assignment more suitable.
'We virtually have to (head over), he's going well enough but there's no three-year-old races in South Australia for him,' Hewitt said.
'All you've got is benchmark races, even the benchmark I put him in on Saturday, he's up against horses like Maracourt, not getting much weight off them.
'They are horses that are Murray Gold Cup winners, and he's only a three-year-old – there's just nothing for him.'
Hewitt has saddled up three winners from his past four runners courtesy of his gun Sir Prancealot duo.
The handler enjoyed plenty of success with talented gallopers Moet Now, Sparkling Now and Merlot Now in years gone by, and is enjoying the journey with his two latest stable stars.
'You go to the races hoping, but now you go to the races expecting to run well,' he said.
'Nothing points to a poor run, they work well, they handle wet, they handle dry.
'They stand in the tie ups all right, they are a bit of a handful at the track for Connor to ride around but everything else, it indicates that they are just going to keep doing what they are doing.
'Even bringing him (Snoopy) back from 2500m to 1600m, I think I gave him 10-11 days off, pushed the reset button and he's back.'
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