Saturday, 20 August 2011: It has taken over 12 months but trainer Peter Snowden finally got his quality sprinter Skytrain back to winning form at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
 | Skytrain
Photo by Racing and Sports | |
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Skyrain showed he had at last recovered from the mental scars of a bad race fall at Gosford last year when he won the $100,000 Show County Quality (1200m).
Skytrain 
looked to be a serious galloper on the rise after three wins on the trot before the imposing son of champion sire Lonhro fell in the Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford in August of 2010.
Minor injuries were overcome by a long spell but it appeared he had lost racing confidence after two average performances at the start of his current campaign.
However the signs were positive after a barrier trial win last week and the real
Skytrain was back on Saturday when he collected a long overdue black type victory.
“It is a very pleasing win for this horse because he has been through a lot of adversity and it has taken a long time to get his confidence back,” Snowden said.
“He trialled well here and that was the first sign he was back to his old self.
“It is very satisfying and it is a challenge. You know he has ability and it was just a matter of getting that ability out of him.”
Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy,
Skytrain sat on the speed outside race favourite Winter King with topweight Neeson holding the fence in third place.
Neeson railed up on the inside when Winter King shifted wider looking for the better ground and led narrowly on straightening with
Skytrain three deep and travelling well.
Winter King was under pressure to head off Neeson at the 200m but
Skytrain quickly gained the upper hand on his outside and under vigorous riding was kept going to the line by McEvoy to win by a long head.
“We parked up on the speed and he got the job done today, so it was good,” McEvoy said.
“If you tuck him in and bury him away it makes it a bit harder for him. Riding him that way suited him today.”
Skytrain has a record of six wins and six minors from 18 starts.
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