Carnival not over yet for Snowden Peter Snowden says Darley can turn a good autumn into a great one on championship day at Randwick on Saturday. Snowden has only had the one group 1 winner for the carnival after Guelph took out the Sires' Produce Stakes a fortnight ago. The runners-up performances by Sidestep in the Golden Slipper and Epaulette in the T.J. Smith have been encouraging. The breeding giant has also picked up two group 1s via the Guy Walter-trained Appearance in the Coolmore Classic and the Queen Of The Turf, and has the dominant sire of two-year-olds in Exceed And Excel. Hotpot: Filly Guelph is favourite for the group 1 Champagne Stakes. Snowden said expectations had been lower than usual after some setbacks, including to top Slipper hope Safeguard and Epaulette. "We are happy with how things have gone considering we lost a few stars along the way," he said. If we can have a good day on Saturday it could make it a great carnival. Golden Rose winner Epaulette has been behind the eight ball since backing into a door. "It happened about six weeks into his prep, and it set him back five weeks and meant he missed all the three-year-olds' races," Snowden said. He punctured his hind muscle, and it just needed time to repair. It might have been a blessing because it gave him time to mature. Epaulette came from well back in the T.J. Smith to beat all but Black Caviar and, like for the Golden Rose, he is second-up in the All Aged Stakes on Saturday. "He has come through the [first-up] run really well, and I think 1400m is his best trip," Snowden said. He has always been a really nice horse, and has raced at the highest level. It is a very tough field with the likes of More Joyous and All Too Hard, but he is just where we want him going into the race like this. Snowden has the favourite for the Champagne Stakes in Guelph, which has proved the iron horse of his two-year-olds this season, and Champollion. She ran midfield in the Blue Diamond before a freshen-up at Anges Banks had her ready to run fourth to Overreach in the Golden Slipper. The Exceed And Excel filly then turned the tables on the Slipper winner, coming with a late charge in the Sires. "She has done an incredible job and has been so tough," Snowden said. After the last start we sent her back out to the farm for a couple of days, and she came back in the stable this week and could not be better. Jockey Kerrin McEvoy was happy with her work this week. Snowden says adding blinkers to Champollion, which won the Baillieu Stakes on Slipper day, could be the key to a group 1 victory. This could be his day, the blinkers will hopefully have him a bit closer, and the mile should suit him.