By Bren O'Brien
Stakes winning imported mare Con Te Partiro (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) showed she was ready for a strong autumn campaign with a narrow win in a Randwick trial on Monday.
Con Te Partiro, who was purchased out of the USA in 2018 by the current ownership, including Newgate Farm, won the G3 Dark Jewel S. at Scone last May and visited Zoustar in October but having missed to the Widden Stud stallion, has returned to racing for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Having her second trial of the campaign, she sat outside the early pace in the heat for Group and Listed horses over 1000 metres and narrowly defeated the G2 Villiers S. winner Quackerjack (Not A Single Doubt) in a time of 59.33s.
Peter and Paul Snowden’s promising filly California Zimbol (I Am Invincible) worked home well for third and is nearing a racetrack return after her second strong trial performance this campaign. Stablemate I Am Superman (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) finished fourth in another good showing ahead of his anticipated debut for his new stable.
Top class New Zealand filly Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel), making her first appearance in Australia this autumn, finished fifth in the trial having won the Karaka 3YO Million at her most recent start and is headed to the G1 Surround S. at her next start.
Group 1 winning sprinter Pierata (Pierro) made his first public appearance since his win in the Redzel S. in November and was given a very quiet time of it by jockey Tommy Berry, sitting back last throughout before passing just one runner in the run home and finishing ninth.
It is expected that the Greg Hickman-trained 5-year-old will resume in the G1 Galaxy S. next month before tackling the G1 TJ Smith S. and the G1 All Aged S. later in the autumn.
There were three 2-year-old trials over the 1050 metres, with the fastest of them taken out by the Snowden-trained Argenteus (Written Tycoon) in 1:02.87.
Watch: Argenteus Trial
Argenteus, the highest priced Written Tycoon yearling of 2019 with James Harron buying him for $900,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, relished the early pace set by Time Is Precious (Snitzel) and powered clear to win by a clear 2l.
Stablemate Aim (Star Witness) also finished off well to claim second and he's back on a campaign towards the autumn 2-year-old features after suffering his first defeat when eighth in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic last month.
The Snowdens also claimed the quinella in an earlier trial with as yet unraced filly Stunning To Win (Outreach) defeating stablemate Close To Me (I Am Invincible) in the first of the 2-year-old trials, which was run in 1:03.63.
The Bjorn Baker-trained Able Arm (Pierro), edged out the Chris Waller-prepared Castlecomer (Outreach) in an on-pace dominated eighth trial of the morning session.
Stellar Pauline (Not A Single Doubt), last seen when second in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, won her 742 metre heat comfortably in 43.93s.
On what was a strong morning for the Snowden juveniles, Surething To Win (I Am Invincible) also won her heat ahead of stablemate So Far Away (Snitzel) in 44.31s
The first of the 2-year-old fillies’ heats over the 742 metres was won by Waterhouse and Bott’s Dubai Star (Pride Of Dubai) narrowly over the Baker-trained Hybrid Theory (Brazen Beau) in a time of 43.49s.
There were also two colts' trials over the 740 metres with John Thompson's Mamaragan (Wandjina) winning the first comfortably in 44.27s.
Postcode (Vancouver) was an easy winner of the other colts trial coasting to a 2l win in a time of 44.00s for Waterhouse and Bott. Postcode has been placed both of his starts to date in the G3 Breeders’ Plate and the Victory Vein S.
Earlier in the session the veteran sprinter Ball Of Muscle (Dubawi {Ire}) dominated his trial defeating Evening Slippers (Snitzel) by 1.8l, clocking 43.08s for the 742 metres. Pretty in Pink (Sebring) finished off strongly to grab third place.
Watch: Ball Of Muscle trial
