3 minute read
Chris Scholtz reviews barrier trials at Warwick Farm on January 30.
WARWICK FARM January 30
16 Heats; Good 4
Course Proper - 1 x 1000m (Group/Listed); 2 x 900m (Group/Listed)
Inside Grass – 3 x 1200m (2 Open; 1 Maiden); 3 x 792m (3 Open); 4 x 789m (4 2YO); 3 x 785m (3 Maiden)
An impressive list of Group stars contested the three course proper heats as they tune up for the autumn. Expect many will trial again before resuming.
HEAT 1 (1000m): PERICLES sat off the leader GRIFF and worked home best under a hold for a soft win (59.78; 34.19) but fair to say the majority were put under no pressure. They included THINK IT OVER, MILITARIZE, RIFF ROCKET and FANGIRL all working easily through the line.
In a very talented field, Pericles takes out the first trial at Warwick Farm. @ZacLloydx @JamesCummings88 pic.twitter.com/rzs8yz1dy2
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 29, 2024
HEAT 2 (900m): Class act LEARNING TO FLY showed she had trained on nicely from her first-up trial with a strong win, letting down easily from off the pace to beat KIMOCHI in good time (52.41; 33.30). Liked the late work of KING'S GAMBIT to finish an easy fourth.
It's the 3YO Filly Learning To Fly who salutes in the second trial at Warwick Farm.@SchofieldChad @ANeashamRacing pic.twitter.com/fSnwWn0Epz
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 29, 2024
HEAT 3 (900m): Another good trial win by TIZ INVINCIBLE, enjoying a cold sit behind the leaders JUST FIRE and DON CORLEONE before finishing off nicely but in much slower time than the other 900m heat (54.66; 34.26). ENCAP worked home for a strong second while Jamie Kah gave CYLINDER an easy time, settling well off the pace before letting him work home strongly over the last 200m for fifth. He certainly appears to have developed physically since we last saw him.
Tiz Invincible wins her second trial in two weeks getting it done in the third trial at Warwick Farm.@cmaherracing @mcacajamez pic.twitter.com/5PY0RZS7ZU
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 29, 2024
In the 2YO trials there was a classy trial by an unraced Godolphin filly.
CELERITY (James Cummings): Impressive second by this unraced Exceed And Excel filly in the fastest of the four 2YO heats over 785m (46.16; 33.31) won by the previously noted CHATEAU MIRAVAL. Having her second trial, she settled five lengths off the winner and made her run widest on the turn before working to the line under a big hold from James McDonald to take good ground off the smart winner. It's form worth following.
Other 2YOs to make a good impression were the heat winners MRS MAREE (46.52; 33.39) and DAGON (46.59; 33.37) while ZESTIMAN took the eye with his closing fifth in a heat he could have won.
Sharp winners in the short course heats included the speedsters FRILLED (792m/46.00;32.79) and BONITA QUEEN (785m/45.49; 32.68) while the quality filly SHAKEN had an easy time winning her 792m heat (47.22; 33.52) under a soft ride.
NOTED TRIALS
XX Cylinder; Learning To Fly; Celerity
X Bonita Queen; Chateau Miraval; Dagon; Exploring; Frilled; King's Gambit; Militarize; Mrs Maree; Out Of Aces; Shaken; Tenderize; Territory Express; Zestiman
