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Chris Scholtz reviews Sydney and provincial barrier trials at Wyong on March 12 and Randwick on March 14.

RANDWICK March 14

Soft 7 – Randwick A Grass

16 Heats – 2 x 1200m (2 Open); 6 x 1050m (2 Open; 2 2YO; 2 3YO Maiden); 8 x 735m (5 2YO; 1 Open; 1 3YO Fillies; 1 C1/Maiden)

The focus was on the Golden Slipper contenders and they didn’t disappoint with CATCH ME, LYRE, LOVING GABY and FREE OF DEBT all winning their trials by varying degrees.

Catch Me sprinted quickly over her last 200m from off the pace without blinkers to win her 1050m heat in 1.06.30 (36.70) but the Blue Diamond winner Lyre was more impressive winning her heat over the same trip in 1.05.9 (36.20), adapting comfortably to the affected track and clockwise direction first time. She was always covering ground three wide but travelled strongly on the bit and her class was obvious when she responded to a squeeze in the last 200m to forge clear and win the heat by a soft two lengths.

Equally if not more impressive to the eye was the strong Melbourne filly Loving Gaby having her first Sydney gallop in a shorter 735m heat. She posted the quickest time of the five 2YO heats over the distance (44.40), cruising easily on the outside of the leader before surging away for a comfortable 2.3 lengths win. No doubt she has the talent to match her size.

Adelaide colt Free Of Debt also had no issues with the clockwise direction but recorded a slightly slower 44.64 winning his 735m heat. He did it the hard way having to sit five wide from the start but was still dominant over the last 200m as he extended strongly to score by a widening 3.3 lengths. He’s a free striding colt with plenty of strength.

Among the older horses the brilliant NATURE STRIP and talented sprinter BRAVE SONG were standouts.

Brave Song was the eye catcher in a solid open company heat over 1050m, motoring to the line from last to finish a close third behind stablemate Nicco Lad. He’s always looked above average and has really furnished into an imposing individual, suggesting that he could be in for his best prep as he looks in great fettle for a campaign that could take him to Brisbane. The form out of his trial should be noted as another of his stablemates Military Zone was also putting in strongly through the line to finish fourth. He is another set to deliver on his full potential.

Nature Strip was just too fast for his rivals in his first Sydney trial, running the quickest time (44.23) of all the 735m heats after James McDonald tried his best to get him to settle wide off the leaders in the first 400m. He was too keen with a high head carriage but was more comfortable over the last 300m when McDonald gave him rein and allowed him to run at his own speed. Hard to fathom why they want to harness his natural speed as he was coasting at the finish to score by 2.5 lengths.

NOTED TRIALS

XX Brave Song; Loving Gaby; Nature Strip;

X Grey Lion; Nicco Lad; Military Zone; Into The Abyss; Fiera Vista; Eawase; Catch Me; Lyre; Merlinite; Highjacker; Free Of Debt; Romantic Whisper; Think It Over.

WYONG March 12

Good 4 – Course Proper

16 Heats – 1 x 1200m (Open); 3 x 1000m (2 Open; 1 Maiden); 12 x 845m (3 Open; 6 2YO; 3 Maiden)

NOTED TRIALS

XX Spring Charlie; Gem Song; Astralis; Tapiconic

X Tactical Advantage; Celer; Seeisbelieving; Thiswilldous; Rare Episode; Traumatised; Imperial Eagle; The Lifeline; Depth That Varies; Killin; Aytobe.