3 minute read
Chris Scholtz reviews Sydney and provincial barrier trials at Randwick (April 8), Warwick Farm (April 12), Newcastle (April 12), Randwick (April 15) and Hawkesbury (April 16).
HAWKESBURY April 16
Inside Grass; Soft 5
17 Heats – 1 x 1250m (Open); 5 x 1000m (2 Open; 1 2YO; 2 Maiden); 11 x 800m (2 Open; 6 2YO; 3 Maiden)
Newcastle trainer has a talented sprinter in the right form to make a successful return to racing.
KIPSBAY (Nathan Doyle): Made the long trip from Newcastle for an impressive win to back up his recent trial placing on his home track. Travelled strongly outside the leaders in his 1000m heat before spearing away over the last 100m for a sharp win in the fastest of the five heats over the distance (58.78; 34.04). He's on song to make a winning return.
NOTED TRIALS
XX Kipsbay
X Be Real; Commanding Artist; Duck Egg Blue; Éclair Vitality; Fly Scotty Fly; Fourth Spargo; Jedibeel; Lizzie's Gem; Occult; Perfumist; Skit 'N' Skat; The Act
1⃣ Perfumist
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) April 15, 2024
2⃣ Midnight Dynamite
3⃣ Commanding Artist
A @BBakerRacing quinella in a 1000m 2yo trial at @hawkesburyrc on Monday with the El Roca filly Perfumist sprinting sharply to score under @RachelK11. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/cyLA6zNkAD
RANDWICK April 15
Randwick A Grass; Good 4
10 Heats – 1 x 1200m (Open); 6 x 1050m (2 Open; 2 2YO; 2 Maiden); 3 x 737m (1 Open; 2 2YO)
Impressive return by a quality sprinter and another fast running juvenile from the top 2YO stable.
CANNONBALL (Peter & Paul Snowden): High class sprinter made an impressive return from his summer spell, a break he needed after his trip to the UK last year. He finished fourth in the fastest 737m heat won by FAMOUS PEDRILLE (42.58; 32.63). While the winner was travelling on the bit in the lead he drifted to the rear some 15 lengths off the lead before steaming to the line over the last 200m to be beaten less than 2.5 lengths. Not the easiest horse to train but he's obviously coming up well and an indication of what he is capable of when right.
SHANGRI LA SPRING (Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott): Unraced Castelvecchio colt is yet another fast running youngster from Tulloch Lodge. Having his first trial, he was four lengths in front after 150m and kept running freely under no pressure to score by 3.5 lengths in fast time (42.63; 32.68).
NOTED TRIALS
XX Cannonball; Shangri La Spring
X Dame Commander; Embassy; Famous Pedrille; Highlights; Manwe; New Endeavour; Point And Shoot; Pulchritudinous; Regal Harmony; Shangri La Impact; Tullyheron
WARWICK FARM April 12
18 Heats; Soft 7
Inside Grass – 3 x 1207m (3 Open); 4 x 822m (4 Open); 4 x 819m (4 2YO); 4 x 816m (1 2YO; 1 3YO; 2 Maiden); 2 x 811m (2 Maiden)
Polytrack – 1 x 740m (Open)
A big set where the longer 1207m heats stirred the most interest as they featured a G1 winner, interesting imports and some rising talents.
Australian Guineas winner SOUTHPORT TYCOON trialled for the second time in Sydney since his Flemington win and never came off the bit to finish an easy third in the quickest of the three 1207m heats won by the import PERFECT PLAY (72.34; 35.64). He bypassed the heavy track in the Doncaster and can still make an impact on the Sydney carnival on the final day.
PERFECT PLAY, COSMIC VEGA and NEW ENERGY are imports to keep tabs on as they progress into their campaigns after pleasing efforts in their 1207m trials. The promising CITY OF LIGHTS also took the eye working home easily for an impressive fourth in her heat won by SHAMEONUS (73.43; 35.59).
Perfect Play, an import trained by @ANeashamRacing, wins a 1200m trial at Warwick Farm on Friday, arrives in time to beat Whinchat with Southport Tycoon a close third. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/R3gmGWZnZX
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) April 11, 2024
The G1 star PRIVATE EYE was back on his game beating an inferior lot in his 822m heat (48.41; 33.31), an effort that gave the clear impression he wants to get back to racing over distances that suit him better than recent short sprints.
"In one bound he went straight past them."
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) April 11, 2024
Private Eye too classy for his rivals in a trial at Warwick Farm on Friday, the @PrideRacing star beat Kalino and Betsy's Flag in the 822m heat. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/0P03wAmnZv
A couple of smart 3YO heat winners will be worth following in their right class.
SCARLET OAK (Chris Waller): Kermadec filly lands in the top stable off a debut win in NZ in March with this trial showing she has the obvious talent to go on with it. Her time wasn't quick (49.26; 34.73) but she did it easily to win her 816m heat with plenty in reserve.
SHE'S HIGH SOCIETY (Matthew Smith): Best trial by this unraced Deep Field filly to win her 816m heat in sharp time (47.70; 33.41). She's been to the trials five times in the last 12 months but this slick win by a soft three lengths says she's ready to go to the races.
NOTED TRIALS
XX Scarlet Oak; She's High Society
X Call Me Gorgeous; City Of Lights; Doull; Emilia Jane; Excelladus; Jambalaya; Jolly Good Fellow; Kalino; Let's Go Barbie; Maquisa; Mr Artemisia; New Energy; Pink Baroque; Pisces; Private Eye; Prorata; Shezasiren; Southport Tycoon; Spring Lee; Stray; Tulle
NEWCASTLE April 12
14 Heats; Soft 7
Beaumont Grass – 4 x 1000m (1 Group/Listed; 3 2YO); 3 x 800m (3 2YO)
Polytrack – 5 x 1000m (3 Open; 2 Maiden); 2 x 800m (1 open; 1 Maiden)
NOTED TRIALS
X Aroha Stone; Brutal Bowler; Florida Sky; Harlem Queen; Much Much Better; The Escape; Wobbly Boot
1⃣ Amokura
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) April 11, 2024
2⃣ Much Much Better
3⃣ Chilli Filly
The @Leesracing Group 1 winning mare finishes strongly to win a trial at @newcastleraces_ on Friday. Joyful Fortune, Light Infantry Man and Luncies were among those behind the placings. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/RSwdgawOkx
RANDWICK April 8
19 Heats; Soft 7
Kensington – 1 x 1200m (Open); 2 x 850m (2 Open)
A Grass – 1 x 1200m (Open); 9 x 1045m (4 Open; 3 2YO; 2 Maiden); 6 x 735m (1 Open; 1 3YO; 3 2YO; 1 Maiden)
A big session for the Waterhouse/Bott stable winning 10 of the 19 heats.
CLEAN ENERGY (Adrian Bott/Gai Waterhouse): Impressive second trial by this unraced Zoustar filly, showing nice improvement from her first trial in November to win her 735m heat in sharp time (42.86; 33.02). Her keen sprint to the line for a soft win points to early success.
IKASARA (Adrian Bott/Gai Waterhouse): Nice improvement off his first trial by this unraced I Am Invincible youngster to run away with 1045m heat in good time (62.57; 34.53). Good pace and nice response when called on to easily put a margin on the chasers.
SPACEWALK (James Cummings): Good Group sprinter on his day and two recent trials have him ready to be a player in the right sprints at the Brisbane carnival. Classy win under a good hold in his 850m heat on the Kensington track (50.50; 33.61), running through the line with a lot to offer. The form looks good as the subsequent Randwick winner JOLIESTAR finished third.
"He gets a squeeze now."
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) April 8, 2024
Kibou, trained by @GaiWaterhouse1 / Adrian Bott, wins a trial at Randwick on Monday, beating Turned Down and Emmadella. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/uAJC1zZByJ
Class prevailed in the 1200m open heat on the A Grass where the imported mare POPTRONIC, a G1 winner on Champions Day at Ascot, did all that was required to win the trial for her new trainers Waterhouse and Bott. She's won five of her 13 starts from 1700m to 2400m and expect she is being prepared for suitable Group races in Brisbane.
Other Waterhouse and Bott performers to make an impression included the heat winners REDBREAST, MADRINA and THE LITTLE PUMPER.
NOTED TRIALS
XX Clean Energy; Ikasara; Spacewalk;
X Amelita; Bases Loaded; Battle Of Vienna; Frilled; Insist; Jojo Was A Man; Madrina; Moonraker; Poptronic; Redbreast; The Little Pumper; Turned Down; Wategos
