3 minute read
It’s hard to look through the Rosehill trial results from Friday and not want to highlight the flying filly Passeggiata.
Sure, there's a bit of Captain Obvious about doing that but she put on a display of speed and looked a very comfortable filly in the process as she clocked 53.19 in a nine length win over the 900m.
That's a full second, or six lengths, faster than any of the other trials over the same distance. Prior to her debut win she scored in a 900m trial at Rosehill running 54.65 on similar ground.
It didn't appear she was out of Rachel King's control so perhaps she's a bit stronger.
Of course Passeggiata kicked off her career with a runaway Gosford maiden win in December then jumped to a BM72 on heavy ground and won again at Rosehill before she was made to work hard at Randwick and faded.
She'll be popular when she resumes and if it's at 1000m it'll take a good performance to reel her in.
Bjorn Baker has been stealing the show in recent trial sessions and his front-running grey Frosty Rocks did it again in another all the way win, this time over 1030m.
Just as he did at Canterbury earlier in the month, he sprung out of the gates and landed a couple clear. He maintained the margin to the line and always travelled well.
It's been 67 weeks since his last start, a win over 1600m at Randwick in February last year. He's surely ready to race now and just pay attention to the set up, preferably a bit of give in the track, for his comeback.
Iowna Merc confirmed his impressive first trial with a close second in a 900m heat, run 12 lengths slower than Passeggiata's, and he did it coming from a lot further off the pace than he was at Canterbury.
You had to like the way he cruised to the line and he'll perform well when he resumes. Same can be said for stablemate Wingardium who also backed up a nice first trial with a third in this heat.
Clarry Conners has picked up a lightly raced Kiwi mare called Pin Me Up and while she has some residual fitness from having her last run five weeks ago it'll be interesting to see where he places her.
She settled fourth in the run and wasn't asked to work into it until inside the 200m where she made some nice ground and was strong through the line. Her best form in NZ was at 1400m to a mile.
It might be worth keeping an eye on $2.25m colt Congregation, trained by Chris Waller, who ran third in his heat. He's a Snitzel colt and this was his second trial, he was positioned a lot closer in the run and while niggled a little to hold his ground he responded.
There were a few triallers who haven't produced their best on race day as yet who could be sharp improvers when they step out.
Mission Ridge is now a gelding, he's had two starts and finished last on both occasions on wet tracks but he did it very easily in winning his heat in moderate time.
Princess Rayaa has also raced twice without troubling the scorers (she's run fourth in both) and she took on an open trial where she was spotted working to the line promisingly.
And two-year-old Misty Legend was a strong trial winner in quicker time than Mission Ridge, he controlled it in front and always travelled nicely. Also unplaced in two starts he might be in for a better preparation.
