"It was a super win, a daring ride," said Snowden, whose wife, Lyn, yesterday celebrated her birthday.
"I told Kerrin, 'be brave, you are on the best horse' and see what they're made of over the last half-mile."
He said his heart was in his mouth as he watched the closing stages as Manawanui rallied to within a half neck, but Helmet prevailed to take .007 seconds off Helenus' best time.
Kerrin McEvoy described as "interesting" the prospect of Helmet going to the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, but noted with such a light weight and "such great ability" the colt would make his presence felt.
He said So You Think ran sixth in the Guineas then came out to win the Cox Plate.
"If he gets around Moonee Valley, he's got to be a good chance.
"Obviously, it's a different sort of race. He's a horse with a good cruising speed, he's always going to be handy enough."
McEvoy said he rode the horse positively from his outside gate to take up the lead and said he was happy to take the chance for them to "run us down".
"He's getting better and better all the time, he loves this way of going," he said.
'I was a bit worried at the furlong, I could hear 'Schoey' [Glyn Schofield] coming. I was wondering how he would react under the pressure, but he went straight and gave his best."
Trainer Ron Leeman said he would resist the temptation to pay a late entry for Manawanui in the Cox Plate, but said the horse would continue to the Victoria Derby on October 29 if he pulled up well.
Leeman was gracious in defeat, congratulating Snowden.
"Peter has done a tremendous job with his horse. My horse has done us all proud," he said.
Schofield believed at the 200m that Manawanui would reel in Helmet. "I thought I had him. I got to his [hind] quarters then to his girth then to his neck and that was as close as I got. I had no more to give.
"Fantastic effort from my horse. It's a pity he had to get beat, but it was a super performance by the winner to do what he did to hold me off. I wasn't stopping and neither was he."
Luke Nolen described as "super" the run of Huegill, who finished third.
"He's going to develop into a lovely autumn 3-year-old," Nolen said.
Corey Brown described as "disappointing" the performance of Smart Missile, who finished fifth.
"He definitely didn't see the trip out, more so because the way they ran it," Brown said.
"At the 600m, I got excited because I got on to Manawanui's back and I thought, 'this will take me to where I want to go', but four strides later I was wobbling around the turn."
Dean Yendell said Chase The Rainbow had done a marvellous job this campaign, but he didn't finish off his race.
- AAP
