Trainers Peter and Peter and Paul Snowden are hoping to have two runners in the Golden Eagle with Exoboom in line to join stablemate Aim in the $7.5 million feature following his Randwick triumph.
With a benchmark 82 rating heading into Saturday’s race, Exoboom will need to attract at least six or seven ratings point for his Filante Handicap (1400m) performance to vault him up the order of entry and into the final field.
Paul Snowden is optimistic Exoboom has done enough to earn his spot.
“It’s been a preparation to get to a point and it looks achievable now,” Snowden said.
“I hope so because he’ll give it one hell of a shake. As long as we can draw well and those sort of things that line up on the day that are the difference between winning and losing.
“This horse is only starting to come to his top now and that will top him off for next week.”
The winner of the Hawkesbury Guineas in May, Exoboom finished unplaced behind Aim in the Silver Eagle after racing keenly in the early stages, prompting the Snowdens to add a Norton Bit to his gear on Saturday.
It made a difference, with Exoboom ($6) settling well off a genuine speed and storming down the outside to edge out a game Yamazaki ($7.50) by a long neck with Bergen ($61) another half-length away.
“He’s always been a talent. He’s a big bugger, a big animal and he takes a lot of work,” Snowden said.
“We just believe that today, and his next run, they’re going to be the best of his preparation, so we’ll see how we go again next week.”
The disappointment of the race was $2.60 favourite Emerald Kingdom, who had to work hard to find the lead and knocked up to finish last