3 minute read
Chris Scholtz reviews Sydney barrier trials at Warwick Farm (December 30) and Rosehill (January 4).
ROSEHILL January 4
Inside Grass: Soft 7
16 Heats – 3 x 1030m (2 Open; 1 Maiden); 9 x 900m (7 2YO; 2 Open); 4 x 898m (4 Maiden)
The juveniles took centre stage. No surprise as this is the time top stables start to get serious with the youngsters they expect to play a hand in the autumn.
Magic Millions favourite SHE"S ALL CLASS worked well within herself to finish a strong second in her 900m heat won by the smart TOTAL BABE (54.42; 35.01) and will head to the Gold Coast in good shape. However the stars in the 2YO heats were the pacy filly SATIN RIBBONS (53.92; 34.99) and the imposing Snitzel colt REMARQUE (54.59; 34.71). They both recorded impressive wins in good times that auger well for their futures.
She's All Class worked nicely into second position in a @rosehillgardens trial with @KPMcEvoy in the saddle for @cwallerracing.
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 4, 2021
Next up is the @mmsnippets 2YO Classic where she is $4 @tabcomau favourite. pic.twitter.com/gCGsQ8Qaws
The times in the open heats over 1030m and 900m were pedestrian and resulted in some bunched finishes where a lot of horses were working well within themselves. IRITHEA – always a good trialler - won her 1030m heat in the slowest of three trials over 1030m (63.07) but clocked the fastest closing sectional (34.97). Behind her were some easy trials from COGNAC, MISTEED and SNAPDANCER.
Godolphin won the two open heats over 900m with AQUITAINE (55.16; 34.55) and TAILLEUR (56.49; 35.49). They both did it well to score with plenty in hand but they were blanket finishes with many of their rivals going to the lines untested. The notable efforts included VALAQUENTA, KOLDING, EXHILARATES, YAMAZAKI and STAR OF THE SEAS.
It was a compact finish to Trial 11 at @rosehillgardens with Aquitaine for @Godolphin taking it out.
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 3, 2021
Kolding finished nicely for @CWallerRacing in fifth position on the fence. pic.twitter.com/ihhjtvjGXo
The maiden heats over 898m threw up some likely types with the winners EIGHT DIAMONDS (54.77; 34.91) and GREEN KUDOS (54.30; 34.65) showing they are ready to win races. I also liked the closing second of WHEELHOUSE in the heat won by ICE CUBED (54.94; 34.96).
SATIN RIBBONS (Peter & Paul Snowden): The top 2YO stable have a runner in this filly by their Golden Slipper winner Capitalist. Jumped in front and pulled her way four lengths clear in the first 200m under a tight hold. From there she was always on the bit as she cruised to an impressive five lengths win in the fastest of all the nine heats over 900m. This was her first trial and augers well for her future.
REMARQUE (Team Hawkes): This Snitzel colt made an impact in his first trial win on December 18 and confirmed his talent with another excellent performance. Travelled easily behind the leaders before hooking three wide at the 400m where he showed real class to extend quickly and race three lengths clear under no pressure. Eased down late for the softest of wins while still running a quick last 600m. Big prospect.
GREEN KUDOS (Matthew Dunn): I have been waiting for the return of this Pierro 4YO since he won his first Sydney trial in June. Has had an obvious hiccup but looks back on track after taking control of his 898m heat and doing it in style to win eased down in the fastest of the four trials over the trip (54.30; 34.65). He's unbeaten in five trials and obviously has much more talent than he displayed in his only race start in Brisbane last season when unplaced as favourite.
NOTED TRIALS
XX Green Kudos; Satin Ribbons; Remarque
X Amish Boy; Aquitaine; Arthur Francis; Cognac; Cork Harbour; Eight Diamonds; Exhilarates; Giannis; Gulf Of Thailand; Head On Up; Ice Cubed; Irithea; Kolding; Misteed; Sarsen; She's All Class; Snapdancer; Star Of The Seas; Tailleur; Total Babe; Valaquenta; Wheelhouse; Yamazaki
WARWICK FARM December 30
Polytrack; 10 Heats
4 x 1175m (2 Open; 2 Maiden); 6 x 740m (2 2YO; 1 Open; 3 Maiden)
Talented mare STOLEN JADE strung together a trio of wins in November and her easy 1175m trial win showed she is in the right form to head to the Gold Coast and perform well at the Magic Millions meeting. She did it easily to win the fastest of the four 1175m heats (71.11; 35.15) by 4.25 lengths under a soft ride.
ACADEMY has been off the scene since September but he has moved well in two recent trials and did all that was required to win the other open heat over 1175m in much slower time (72.15; 36.36). PRIME RULER and VANILLA SKY were two to take the eye in the maiden heats over 1175m.
Godolphin won both 2YO heats over 740m with the unraced pair LARKSPUR RUN (Shamardal) and TELLURIDE (Medaglia D'Oro). The filly LARKSPUR RUN improved off two previous trials to record the fastest time (44.00; 33.96), trucking home nicely from the off the pace after a wide run. TELLURIDE, having his second trial, was similar as he let down strongly from off the speed for a promising win in slower time (44.32; 34.09).
STAR MAGNUM, a Hawkesbury maiden winner of his only start in September, showed good speed to record a narrow win in the open trial over 740m in the fastest of the six heats over the trip (43.73; 33.80). However it was hard to miss the effort of the runner-up ESTRADO as she sat outside the winner all the way with Rachel King sitting as cold as a stone on the mare in the run to the line. She could have won the trial and is one to watch for first-up in a suitable race against her own sex.
Warwick Farm trainer Paul Cave won the three maiden heats over 740m with ATTICUS FINCH (44.81; 34.46), BLUE SKY MOON (44.89; 34.59) and SEPTIMUS SEVERUS (44.49; 34.14). Nothing special.
NOTED TRIALS
XX Estrado
X Academy; Larkspur Run; Prime Ruler; Star Magnum; Stolen Jade; Telluride; Vanilla Sky
