Peter Snowden And Redzel: A Partnership Of Success

Along the line, Snowden has accrued more than a thousand winners, since 2014 with his partnership with Paul including 19 Group One victories and 214 stakes race triumphs. His most successful year was 2011 when he swept all five Group One juvenile races: the Blue Diamond, Golden Slipper, ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes, Champagne Stakes and T.J. Smith.

Another great memory in 2009 he came second in the world behind Steve Asmussen (USA). When training for Darley he also had similar stats.

Perhaps Snowden’s ability to develop younger horses was derived from a most difficult childhood.

He was but three years old when his mother died. Even at a young age, Snowden had a fire in his belly.

“I sort of grew up pretty quickly,” he said. “Your mom is everything when you’re a child. To not have her there was difficult. But (like) the old saying goes, ‘What doesn't break you makes you stronger?’ That was the case for me.”

Snowden was driven to do well, and his intestinal fortitude prevailed.

“I wanted to make my mom proud,” he explained, “and my dad, and he passed away about 12 years ago, but I've been very lucky. I've achieved what I wanted to achieve. I’m always trying to be better.”

At 11, Snowden helped his father in the barn. A year later, he was cantering horses. Not long thereafter, he took up the itch as a jockey. His father was a winner of 600-plus races in the reins before obtaining his trainers’ license.

“I had no weight issues until I was about 18,” Snowden recalled. “It began taking a toll on my bones. I found it difficult to stay at lighter weights.”

Peter Snowden took the same career transition as his father — from the irons to the stables — which he claims has been beneficial.

“Yeah, I think it's a plus to ride,” Snowden said. “You have a better understanding of racing and riding and how your jockey’s ride. I think it's been a big advantage for me going forward in my training career.”

Snowden joined the John Hawkes stable as an assistant trainer. After much success there, In 2007 he was appointed head trainer for the Ingham Bloodstock empire until they sold a majority of their racing and breeding interests to Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum.

In the ebb and flow of business, Snowden was offered the prestigious duties as head trainer in Australia for Darley (Godolphin).

Indeed — things were moving quickly for a trainer who’s well-timed each move through the industry.

At that time, his son, Paul, was appointed as his assistant trainer in the Melbourne stable in Flemington.

‘I’d be down there every couple of weeks,” Snowden said of his son, “but it was he who was in charge that stable.

“Paul got a really good feel for horses, from working with me. That's important to get that same feeling from him. Like to know when a horse is or not ready … lameness. You'd be able to pick up the slightest bit of something in the horse.

“He learned from me. His eyes are my eyes. Whatever he was telling me (over the phone) was exactly what I would be saying or doing if I was there.”

That’s when Paul Snowden pitched the idea. The father and son got close when it came to running an operation.

Then …

“(Paul) decided he wanted to try it out on his own,” Peter said. “I thought I'd go with him, HE IS EXTREMLEY TALENTED WITH HORSES,  So, when we finished up with Darley, we set out.”

Thus, the formation of Snowden Racing in 2014 at Randwick. As before with Darley (Godolphin) the two clicked with immense success, from the outset.

But it was Redzel, a colt by Triple Crown Syndicate, that enabled the newly formed Snowden stable to realize a fantastic return. Redzel’s dam, Millrich, died shortly after his birth. Redzel was fostered by another mare who raised him.

Following a few unsuccessful tries at 3, the decision was to geld Redzel, which turned the trick. As a 5-year-old he responded, capturing Hall Mark Stakes (Group 3), the Doomben 10,000(Group 1) and the Concorde Stakes (Group 3) before taking down the inaugural Everest.

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy was aboard Redzel for both Everests. In 2017, McEvoy and Redzel stalked the pace before blasting away in the final 200 meters. With a heavier, wet footing in 2018, Redzel broke from the inside barrier and wired the field, winning a length from a closing Trapeze Artist.

“When Redzel won the first Everest, he was really keen,” Peter Snowden recalled. “The second one, the rain poured down right before the race. Redzel was the only wet track horse there. Once he got the footing, he led very easily. I’m thinking ‘This isn’t supposed to be this easy.’ I thought something was going to open up, but he won by a bigger margin the second time, so it was just a day that was meant to be,”

Yes Yes Yes spoiled an Everest three-peat in 2019, and after finishing third to Nature Strip in the 2020 TJ Smith, the decision was made to retire Redzel.

All told, Redzel finished his career with A$16,444,000 in earnings. Not bad work by the Snowden stable on a A$120,000 purchase.

Since Redzel’s successful and profitable run, the Snowden’s continue to impress with tremendous savvy. For Peter Snowden, it’s about the third generation of stable life coming full circle … as in the winner’s circle.

“I think it's eight years that we've been here, but Paul has not just a son — he's been a very good friend,” Peter explained. “He’s been a great help to me, we have a special relationship.”

For the record, Peter and his wife Lyn tied the knot “quite early”, with Paul being born when the couple was still in their 20s.

“Nowadays, that's quite early to have children, but in our day, it was fairly normal. Nowadays, people aren’t getting married until they’re 40. So, unfortunately, when their kids are 20 they're 60 …  so, it makes a big age gap. But with Paul, we grew up together really as mates and that's continued on.”