3 minute read

Chris Scholtz reviews Sydney and provincial trials at Warwick Farm (August 9), Hawkesbury (August 12) and Randwick (August 12).

RANDWICK August 12

Good 4; Course Proper; Randwick A Grass

17 Heats - Course Proper: 2 x 1000m (Group/Listed); 1 x 900m (Group/Listed); A Grass: 1 x 1200m (Open); 8 x 1050m (2 Open; 6 Maiden); 5 x 740m (1 Open; 4 Maiden)

Plenty of class on show in the three black type heats while the trials on the inside grass featured some quality 3YOs and promising maidens.

Libertini (Anthony Cummings): After her classy trial second at Randwick on July 30 this imposing fily went on with it to recordan impressive 1000m heat win on the course proper, surging past the leaders in the last 100m in great style. She's going to be a big player in the Princess Series for fillies.

Check out Libertini for @Acummingsracing winning the Group and Listed trial @royalrandwick this morning. @TommyBerry21 loosened his grip for a second and she gobbled up the leaders. pic.twitter.com/x9vjVWIqSg

— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 11, 2019

Sunlight (Tony McEvoy): She's arguably Australia's best sprinter and Sydney is going to see plenty of her as she heads to The Everest. Oozed class as she easily put paid to her rivals in the 900m heat on the course proper, running a quick closing sectional under no pressure (52.56; 34.11). Great way to start her spring preparation.

Sunlight gets her #TheTABEverest campaign off to a perfect start winning her trial @royalrandwick on Monday with Luke Currie in the saddle.

@7horseracing @mcevoymitchell @SkyRacingAU pic.twitter.com/nUvsJgfAxB

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) August 11, 2019

Hightail (Peter & Paul Snowden): I had good reason to include this classy colt in my "Six for The Spring" feature (see below) and this big trial win confirmed that he is going to be a serious player. Led easily and Kerrin McEvoy never moved as he opened up a big lead over the last 300m, cruising home in his 1035m heat on the inside grass in 63.35 (34.42) with plenty in hand.

Acumen (James Cummings): Promising Godolphin maiden was placed at his only start at Bendigo last month and should have no trouble picking up a win after doing it easily to win his 1050m heat in good time (63.47; 34.97) with Rachel King throttling him down in the last 100m when he was eager to go quicker.

NOTED TRIALS

XX Libertini; Sunlight; Hightail; Acumen

X Baller; Dreamforce; Mizzy; Stellar Impact; Sweet Thomas; Pretty Brazen; Bound To Win; Fiery Red; Quantico; Maggie Miss; Premier Rose; Ariege; Palubien; Duenna; Belmont Day; Faretti.

From "Six For The Spring – the 2YOS" 

(To read the full feature go to Insight Analysis - www.racingandsports.com/news/racing/insight-analysis)

HIGHTAIL (2g Written Tycoon x La Paris by Falvelon)

Trainers: Peter & Paul Snowden

7 Starts – 2-1-2 ($453,240)

Wins: 1000m (1), 1150m (1)

Timeform: 111

He's a sleeper among the rising 3YO crop as his record should read a lot better than just the two wins after some luckless performances during a tough season that saw him race in Sydney, Queensland and Melbourne.

He earned a Magic Millions Classic start after winning two of his first three outings at Kembla Grange and Randwick pre-Christmas.

He arguably should have won the big one at the Gold Coast in January after he drew the outside gate and had to make a long run from near last before finishing an excellent third behind the high class pair Exhilarates and Dubious.

A heavy track failure in the G3 Pago Pago Stakes at Rosehill in March ended his Golden Slipper aspirations. Instead he headed off to Melbourne where he finished his season with another luckless placing under a big weight from a wide draw at Caulfield.

He's a genuine trier and while he is yet to prove himself at the elite levels this tough nut will make his presence felt in some good races as a 3YO. I suspect he will be best suited up to 1600m which makes him a sneaky chance for the Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas.

TARGET RACES: Golden Rose; Caulfield Guineas.

HAWKESBURY August 12

Good 4; Inside Grass

12 Heats – 1 x 1250m (Open); 3 x 1000m (2 Open; 1 Maiden); 8 x 800m (2 Open; 6 Maiden)

A handful of quality black type performers provided the highlights, especially the classy prospect TROPE who was having his second trial in a week after a super effort that got our attention at Rosehill on August 6. He backed up with in great style to settle out the back in his 1000m heat before starting a wide run around the pack at the 400m that carried him to a soft win. I'll be amazed if he doesn't win a good race during the spring.

Joe Pride's veteran sprinter BALL OF MUSCLE may be a 9YO but he is rarely beaten in trials and did it again when he had too much speed and class for a small field in his 800m heat to score by almost seven lengths in 47.57 (33.24). Would you believe this was his 18th barrier trial win since he started his career in 2013.

His stablemate BROOK MAGIC is also a regular trial star and he also had too much on his rivals for a soft win in the fastest 800m heat (46.85; 33.17).

Among the maidens the standout was Trope's stablemate MIR who had plenty on his rivals in his 800m heat in a smart 47.22 (33.42). We have noted his talent in previous trials and he will be hard to beat when he gets to the races.

NOTED TRIALS:

XX Trope; Mir

X Kiarra Rose; Triple Choice; Our Sweet Lady; Ball Of Muscle; Brook Magic; Bucephalus.

While all eyes were on Randwick, out at @hawkesburyrc Ball Of Muscle made easy work of an 800m trial for @SchofieldGlyn scoring by almost 7 lengths.@tabcomau @PrideRacing @SkyRacingAU @7horseracing pic.twitter.com/Xaq95Nug4q

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) August 12, 2019

WARWICK FARM August 9

Good 4 – Course Proper/Inside Grass

17 Heats – Course Proper – 1 x 1000m (Group/Listed); Inside Grass – 4 x 1200m (2 Open; 2 Maiden); 7 x 795m (3 Open; 4 Maiden); 5 x 791m (5 Maiden).

Crack sprinter PIERATA was the focus in the course proper heat over 1000m for the Group and Listed horses. It was no more than a conditioning trial to start his spring prep with Tommy Berry content to let him track the leader CRADLE MOUNTAIN and hold that position under no pressure in the run to the line.

CRADLE MOUNTAIN required this trial after his last start Rosehill failure and was always in control of the heat to win comfortably – we now need to see him do it under the pressure of race conditions! GIRL SUNDAY's fourth in the black type heat had merit.

The picks from the other open heats over 795m were the sharp wins by MANDYLION (47.15; 33.61) and VERSETTO (47.15; 33.85). The effort of CASCADIAN behind Mandylion really caught the eye.

Among the maidens MEDIC recorded the fastest 795m heat win (46.96; 33.97) while Godolphin colt MUIRON was most impressive tracking wide before striding clear for a strong heat win over 791m. Eye catchers in the maiden heats came from CLASS ACT, DEVAN, LANDSTRASSE and OXIDIZATION.

NOTED TRIALS

XX Mandylion; Versetto; Muiron

X Cradle Mountain; Pierata; Girl Tuesday; Vigoroso; Full Recognition; Piracy; Cascadian; Medic; Class Act; Parche; Fearless Rose; Montserrat; Devan; Thanks To You; Landstrasse; Oxidization; Down The River.