3 minute read
Chris Scholtz reviews Sydney barrier trials at Warwick Farm (October 27) and Randwick (October 30).
RANDWICK October 30
Randwick A Grass/Polytrack; Heavy 8
A Grass 16 Heats – 2 x 1200m (2 Open); 5 x 1045m (2 Open; 3 maiden); 9 x 735m (4 2YO; 2 Open; 3 maiden); Polytrack 2 Heats (1 x 1080m; 1 x 780m)
Rarely get excited by 1200m heats but the winners of the two heats at this session VADIYANN and SIGNORE FOX are definitely worth following into the summer.
VADIYANN (Waterhouse/Bott): This French import has only been seen at the races once in Australia and that was last December when he was produced for an impressive 2000m win at Randwick, his fourth success in only six starts. He's now a 6YO gelding but he's had two recent trials and the manner of his strong front running win in this heat by 3.5 lengths (73.36; 34.30) augers well for a good summer campaign.
SIGNORE FOX (Peter and & Paul Snowden): The Ramornie Handicap winner wasn't disgraced in three spring carnival outings in top quality sprints including a last start placing in the Sydney Stakes. He's been freshened for a summer sprint program and his impressive turn of foot when he let down from midfield to race away with his 1200m trial by 3.8 lengths (72.74; 34.67) suggests he will be hard to beat when next produced.
The maiden performer BELIEBER and talented 4YO ELEVEN ELEVEN set the standard in the sprint heats over 1045m and 735m.
BELIEBER (Waterhouse/Bott): This stylish Zoustar gelding should soon be winning his maiden after this impressive trial, leading with ease and extending under no pressure to open up a four lengths lead at the 300m before Tim Clark shut him down for a soft 2.3 lengths win in the fastest of the five heats over 1045m (61.98; 33.69). Raced only twice last season but has won three of his five trials.
ELEVEN ELEVEN (Greg Hickman): Didn't come up to expectations in his last prep but his efforts in two recent trials point to a strong summer campaign and another tilt at the Magic Millions. Showed he had come on from his first up trial at Hawkesbury to sprint away with his 735m heat in fast time (42.70; 32,75), scoring by 3.3 lengths with plenty in hand.
NOTED TRIALS
XX Vadiyann; Signore Fox; Belieber; Eleven Eleven
X Amercement; Athelric; Hunnam; Bergen; Canton Kid; Chenin Blanc; Deepour; Differing; Jesse James; La Foret; Libertini; More Prophets; Much Much Better; Party Lady; Pocket Goddess; Savatiano; Sliders; Smokeshow; Supremo; Tastebud; Wilsons Prom
It was an eye catching trial win from @HickmanRacing's Eleven Eleven at @royalrandwick on Friday morning as he warms up for his spring and summer campaign. @tabcomau @mmsnippets pic.twitter.com/hPxjbEuvUf
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) October 30, 2020
WARWICK FARM October 27
Polytrack; 5 Heats
1 x 1175m (Open); 4 x 740m (1 2YO; 1 Open; 2 Maiden)
Bad weather reduced this set of 14 scheduled heats to only 25 runners in five heats on the synthetic polytrack. There was little to enthuse about as the runners had little more than exercise workouts. The better trial efforts came from the 2YO heat winner HEAD OF STATE and the open heat winner SHERIFF but few runners were put under pressure.
