3 minute read
First-season sire two-year-olds shine at Kensington
The first two-year-old trials of the year were held at Randwick’s Kensington track on Monday and James Harron was pleased with the performances of Kalashnikov - who is by Newgate Farm’s first-season sire Capitalist (Written Tycoon) and the son of Vinery Stud’s freshman stallion Star Turn (Star Witness) in Astrologer.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Kalashnikov pinged out of the gates in heat two, worked well round the bend and responded well to Hugh Bowman’s urgings to hit the line impressively, posting a time of 50.53 seconds, five lengths ahead of Unwritten (Written Tycoon). Sempreinte (Sebring) was a further neck away in third.
Harron - who purchased the colt for $600,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Segenhoe Stud - said that Kalashnikov will look to emulate his sire in the Breeders’ Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) on October 3.
“He has been showing quite a bit at home,” said Harron. “Peter and Paul [Snowden] earmarked him quite early on as a really precocious, early type two-year-old. He showed good gate speed when they gave him a little jump out at home and very professional and he showed that again today.
“He was very clean away and got into stride. Hugh Bowman was very complimentary about him, as quick as he jumps he gets back underneath you well and relaxes. Even when the horses came around him and he asked him to go he extended really nicely.”
Harron’s connection with the colt’s Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m)-winning sire Capitalist is well documented and, despite Kalashnikov being jet black, Harron says there are some similarities between the youngster and his father.
“At the sales I thought he was an absolute stamp of his dad physically, the shape and his size and his demeanour and he has that great attitude and he seems to take everything in his stride,” said Harron. “There is a lot of water to go under the bridge, but I’ve spoken to the guys and they said he has come through it well.”
The colt is out dual-winning Flying Spur (Danehill) mare Rough Ride, who is herself a half-sister to Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2200m) winner Eagle Way (More Than Ready) and Listed-winning trio Assertive Eagle (Danewin), Impressive Eagle (Rubiton) and Soaressa (Twining) - the dam of Group 3 winner Thermal Current (Exceed And Excel) and Listed scorer Forever Free (Exceed And Excel).
Capitalist colt Kalashnikov impresses winning a @royalrandwick 2yo trial on Monday from Unwritten and Sempriente. And you can't miss the flashy Navajo in behind them! @tabcomau @SnowdenRacing1 @jmeharron pic.twitter.com/55SZGzEhCZ
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) September 20, 2020
In the last heat of the day, Astrologer, who Harron picked up for $300,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Edinglassie Thoroughbreds draft, also won his heat in a time of 51.20 seconds.
The colt raced in fourth in the early part of his 845 metre heat and as the field entered the straight Kerrin McEvoy pulled the colt out of the pack and he glided to the front, hitting the line impressively to beat Almahero (Al Maher) by a length and quarter, while Montenegro (I Am Invincible) another neck away in third.
“He was really pleasing,” said Harron. “He is a horse who is strong and well built and had quite a bit of puppy fat as a yearling, but he has continued to grow and lengthen out. He has done quite a lot of growing the last couple of months.
“He is a different horse to Kalashnikov and was slightly slower away from the gates, but was able to gather himself up and work home nicely and get over the top of them and prick his ears. The time wasn’t as slick as Kalashnikov, but the way he did it was good.
“He will be interesting to see how he responds to that today, because he has definitely come on from that little jump-out at home and the big part of this is how much improvement there is in all these horses and he is a big improving type of horse.
“We will see where he gets to. He is probably not a jump and run sharp type like Kalashnikov.”
Harron said the colt would join his stablemate in the Breeders’ Plate next month, with Kerrin McEvoy set to take the ride.
“We will prepare him for the Breeders’ Plate as well,” said Harron. “Kerrin McEvoy really liked his action and felt really good when he lengthened out and he called up to secure the ride on him as well, which is good and a nice endorsement from Kerrin.”
The well-related two-year-old is out of the unraced Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Fast ’n’ Witty, who is herself out of Listed winner Crystal Wit (Distorted Humor). Crystal Wit is the dam of Group 3 winner Crystal Dreamer (Stratum) and she is also the grandam of Listed scorers Persuader (Zoustar) and The Actuary (Sebring).
Further back this is the same family as 2010 Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Crystal Lily (Stratum).
Meanwhile, the quickest time of the day was posted by the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Enthaar (Written Tycoon), who won her heat in a time of 50 seconds flat, beating Lovemetender (Testa Rossa) by four and three-quarter lengths.
“She came up from Melbourne the other day and she just had a little 600 metre jump out, was very natural there and she has gone on,” Maher said.
“We haven’t had to do much with her and she looked quite good there again.”
Bred and raced by Emirates Park, the filly is out of a winning Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) mare Final Agreement, who is herself a half-sister to 2017 Robert Sangster Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Secret Agenda.
Written Tycoon filly Enthaar does it easily to win a 2yo trial @royalrandwick on Monday for @cmaherracing and @EmiratesPark over Lovemetender and Our Filly. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/2WRP3ONaA0
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) September 21, 2020
On a day where Arrowfield Stud shuttler Maurice (Screen Hero) sired a treble in Japan, he looks to have a handy two-year-old among his first-crop of Australian two-year-old, with the Bjorn Baker-trained Maurice’s Medad taking out the sixth heat of the day in a time of 50.65 seconds.
Purchased by his trainer and Jim Clarke for $250,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Vinery Stud draft, the colt sat three wide for most of the trip and did his best work late to clinch a nose victory on the line, beating Athelric (Exceed And Excel).
A narrow win for @BBakerRacing's Maurice's Medad in a @royalrandwick trial on Monday over @godolphin colt Athelric and Revivalist. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/RbOeBFUtdz
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) September 21, 2020
Meanwhile on the Gold Coast, Arrowfield Stud shuttler Shalaa (Invincible Spirit) was represented by an impressive trial winner, as the Chris Waller-trained Shaquero beat Prime Asset (Star Witness) by a length in a time of 54.08 seconds.
Purchased by his trainer and Guy Mulcaster for $160,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the two-year-old is out of dual-winning mare Fimatino (Not A Single Doubt), who is herself a half-sister to Listed winner Catacaos (Catbird) and the dam of Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) winner and now Rosemont Stud sire Shamus Award (Snitzel).
Kicking off Monday with a 2YO trial winner for Arrowfield shuttle stallion Shalaa at Gold Coast trials. Shaquero (Shalaa x Fimatino) was sold @mmsnippets by @FernriggFarm for $160,000 to @MulcasterBS and is trained by @cwallerracing. #watch@TDNAusNZ @anz_news @rs_bloodstock pic.twitter.com/5DQ5InGqrb
— Arrowfield Stud (@ArrowfieldStud) September 20, 2020
