Despite most of the pre-race talk being about raging-hot favourite Zaaki, Paul Snowden knew Huetor was set for a big performance in the $1 million Doomben Cup.
And the five-year-old’s finish was immense, beating runner-up Maximal by half a length and notching up Paul and Peter Snowden’s second victory of the day.
It was brilliant jockey Kerrin McEvoy’s 72nd Group 1 win, and the 18th for the Snowden team.
2022 Doomben Cup Replay
“He’s been working to a performance like this today,” Paul Snowden told Sky Racing after the 2100m stayers’ feature.
“It takes a little bit of racing to get him there.
“Obviously, this preparation he’s been at a very high level.”
The triumphant five-year-old gelding took advantage of his No.2 barrier.
“Last prep, we just went through his grades and picked them off one by one (winning consecutive $130,000 races in Newcastle, Rosehill and Randwick in November and December),” Snowden said.
“He’s one of our four racers like this. They all like the fence and he comes up on the fence.
“So it was very pretty to watch.”
Zaaki moved to the front at the turn and 450m from home.
But Huetor – now $3.20 with online betting sites for the Q22 on June 11 – relished the Good 4 conditions the most from his ideal inside lane.
“I spoke to James McDonald earlier today, and I said ‘I don’t think you need to be anywhere special – it’s about how your horse is handling it’,” Snowden said.
“When these Sydney horses come up here they don’t know what they’re on because they’ve been trudging through the mud the past three months.
“But they (Snowden’s horses) are really relishing the conditions today, that’s for sure.”
With $1.24 winning odds, Zaaki finished 1.5 lengths behind Huetor in third spot.
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