3 minute read
Chris Scholtz reviews Sydney and Newcastle barrier trials at Randwick, Rosehill and Broadmeadow from September 29 to October 6.
RANDWICK October 6
11 Heats – Good 4
Kensington – 1 x 850m (Group/Listed; Randwick A Grass – 10 Heats 1 x 1200m (Open); 5 x 1045m (2 Open; 3 Maiden); 4 x 740m (1 2YO; 1 Open; 1 3YO; 1 Maiden)
Another session featuring a leading Everest contender and a classy visitor from Melbourne.
PRIVATE EYE was the headline act in the black type heat over 850m on the Kensington but eyes were also on the Victorian mare BENEDETTA in a trial of some depth.
PRIVATE EYE may well be the horse to beat in the Everest as his impressive second to the sharp speedster INSURRECTION was strong confirmation that he has progressed in the right manner since his excellent first-up win The Shorts.
INSURRECTION was running them along and was too sharp over the short course (50.97; 33.21) but PRIVATE EYE was never under pressure as he closed down the margin on the winner over the last 50 metres under a big hold from Nash Rawiller. He's a star at Randwick and his liking for the track will be a big asset in the Everest.
BENEDETTA adapted easily to the right handed way of going in her first Sydney trial. She settled behind the other four runners and made ground smoothly over the last 200m for an easy third with no intent from her rider Daniel Stackhouse to win the trial.
1⃣ Insurrection
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) October 5, 2023
2⃣ Private Eye
3⃣ Benedetta
All eyes were on #TABEverest runner Private Eye in a Kensington trial on Friday, he was just held off by Insurrection with Victorian mare Benedetta close up in 50.97 for the 850m. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/s6Lf4RJd6s
In the open heats on the Kensington track the good class winner JOJO WAS A MAN looks ready for another good campaign after leading from start to finish under an easy ride to win the 1200m heat (72.33; 33.75) from the quality stayer ZOUMON with STRAY taking the eye with his effort for fourth.
HILAL, back in Sydney in the Waterhouse/Bott stable after a stint in Queensland, also led for an easy win in his 1045m heat by more than three lengths in good time (62.27; 33.49). His maiden stablemate VANQUISHED posted the quickest heat win over 1045m (62.05; 34.09), his good work over the last 400m a sure sign he is ready to improve on the form he has shown in his two career starts to date.
Other noted runners in the 1045m heats included TANNHAUSER, GALAXY FIELD, SUNLORD and CHOICE LEGEND.
Zoustar filly ZOUPHORIA, a lightly raced maiden from the Waterhouse/Bott yard, is another certain improver after she was too sharp for her rivals in the fastest of the four heats over 740m (42.78; 32.82) in her first trial since May.
The 2YO heat overt 740m was won in smart time (42.98; 32.62) by MANOS, a stylish Snitzel colt from the Snowden stable. He was challenged to the line by another nice youngster SHANGRI LA EXPRESS in a tight finish.
The fillies SALTAIRE and WATCH MY GIRL impressed with their efforts to fill the placings in the slower open 3YO heat (43.42; 32.79) won by GREYT THINKER.
NOTED TRIALS
XX Private Eye; Benedetta; Vanquished
X Choice Legend; Essone; Galaxy Field; Hilal; Jojo Was A Man; Junqueira; Manos; Saltaire; Shangri La Express; Stray; Sunlord; Tannhauser; Watch My Girl; World Alliance; Zouphoria
ROSEHILL October 3
15 Heats - Course Proper/Inside Grass – Good 4
Course Proper – 1 x 1000m (Group/Listed); Inside Grass – 4 x 1030m (2 Open; 2 Maiden); 10 x 900m (4 2YO; 2 Open; 4 Maiden)
A high quality heat on the course proper featured five sprinters holding slots in The Everest plus notable G1 winners FANGIRL and THINK IT OVER.
OVERPASS is set to tackle The Everest first-up with the black type trial over 1000m (on the course proper giving him a good test as his rivals included fellow Everest contenders MAZU, SHINZO, IN SECRET and BUENOS NOCHES.
OVERPASS showed his usual toe to lead and was ridden along from the 250m to maintain a clear advantage in good time (58.17; 33.00).
A fitter MAZU settled second from the jump and was keen to run through the first 600m. He held his ground to the finish with SHINZO and IN SECRET having an easy time of it running through the line together under no pressure. BUENOS NOCHES also wasn't asked to compete and merely went around for exercise behind them.
FANGIRL had a nice tick over trial over the sprint distance while THINK IT OVER raised some concern with his distant last. He was subsequently checked and tested by vets with no issues reported.
Overpass lead all the way to take out the opening heat at Rosehill this morning.
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 2, 2023
It was a star-studded trial that included Mazu, Shinzo, In Secret, Fangirl, Buenos Noches and Think It Over. pic.twitter.com/nGJGKSCqp6
The fastest 1030m heat on the inside grass was won by NARCISSIST (62.52; 35.54) in a maiden heat where the closing third by the Godolphin runner MOGWAI took the eye. The heat wins by RISE OF THE MASSES (62.92; 34.82) and JUST IN TIME (63.66; 35.57) had merit.
The fastest 900m trial was won by the maiden CAPTAIN EAGLE (54.19; 35.01) in a heat where the closing third by INVADER ZIM made an impression. Other maiden performers taking the eye included the heat winners INCARCERATED, GUSTOSISIMO and JOEY D'OR.
The quickest 2YO heat winner over 900m was SHIVERMEPINK (54.70; 35.05), a Zoustar filly from the Waterhouse/Bott youngster who improved on her placing at the Randwick trials. Other youngsters to trial nicely included BANCHAN, DRIFTING, AGENDA SETTER and KINGDOM UNDERSEIGE.
In the open heats over 900m the strong placings by GREBENI and CONTEMPORARY point to both performing strongly when they next go to the races.
GREBENI won three on the trot in Sydney before his Guineas placing at the Sunshine Coast in July and is a 4YO with good black type potential.
NOTED TRIALS
XX Grebeni
X Agenda Setter; Banchan; Contemporary; Drifting; Gustosisimo; I Am Sez; Incarcerated; In Secret; Invader Zim; Joey D'Or; Just In Time; Kingdom Undersiege; Mogwai; Overpass; Rise Of The Masses; Shivermepink; Vilana; Wicklow
EWCASTLE September 29
Beaumont Grass; Good 4
14 Heats – 2 x 1200m (1 Open; 1 Group/Listed); 5 x 1000m (2 Open; 3 Maiden); 7 x 800m (2 Open; 4 2 & 3YO Maiden; 1 4YO+ Maiden
NOTED TRIALS
X Estephania; Ambassadors; Cool Man; Copper Satin; Hydrometer; Lika Ryder; Miss Moorooduc; Nebraskan; New Forest; Rum Diary; Shotmaker; Soobooco; Tavi Time; Yourjokingright
