Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The Emirates Park-bred-and-owned filly, who is trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, looked every bit a top contender for the autumn 2-year-old features, posting the quickest time, 47.18s, of the three juvenile heats.
Ridden by Sam Clipperton, the last-start winner of the Listed Merson Cooper S. sat outside of the early pace, took control of the heat and then eased clear in a slick final 600 metres of 33.77s.
Paul Snowden told TDN AusNZ that Ebhaar would now go to the track, tackling the Widden S. on January 29.
"She was very good this morning and we were happy," he said. "She's only had one race preparation and won her only start and her future looks bright when you consider that was a stakes win.
"She has come back in good order. Sam (Clipperton) was happy, it was his first time on her and he’ll ride her again on Saturday week."
"She (Ebhaar) has come back in good order. Sam (Clipperton) was happy, it was his first time on her and he’ll ride her again on Saturday week." - Paul Snowden
"She’ll run in that race on Saturday week and we will see where we go from there."
Ebhaar is out of Maroon Bay (Exceed And Excel), the half-sister to Group 1 winner and young Coolmore stallion Merchant Navy as well as stakes winners Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock) and Setanta (Fastnet Rock).
Emirates Park purchased into this family when they secured Maroon Bay for $370,000 from the draft of Vinery Stud at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. She has subsequently produced three winners, including Ebhaar and the Group 3-placed Shotmaker (Shooting To Win).
Paul and Peter Snowden | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Ebhaar is currently $21 in the market for the G1 Golden Slipper S. in March based on her dominant on-pace win in the Merson Cooper S. in late November. That race produced Group 1 winner Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) last season and Rosemont Stud stallion Hanseatic the year prior.
Second behind Ebhaar in the trial on Thursday was the Annabel Neasham-trained filly Mumbai Jewel (I Am Invincible), who finished on well to be beaten just 0.2l. Her stablemate, Tot Of Rum (Merchant Navy) was third, some 2.4l adrift of the winner, and just ahead of G3 Breeders' Plate and Golden Gift winner Sejardan (Sebring), who worked home to finish fourth.
El Padrino on song
In the previous heat, R. Listed Inglis Nursery winner El Padrino (Street Boss {USA}) showed his class holding out Global Empire (I Am Invincible) over the final stages in a time of 48.09s.
It has been nearly seven weeks since El Padrino's feature win at Randwick for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and he looks to have freshened up well, dictating the pace outside of Global Empire and edging clear under a hold from Tommy Berry over the final stages.
It was nonetheless an impressive showing from the Joseph Pride-trained runner-up, who was having just a second trial. He was a $250,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale buy and carries the Unger family colours, hailing from the same family as Pride's Group 1 winners Terravista (Captain Rio {GB}) and Tiger Tees (Dubawi ({Ire}).
Third in that trial was the Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Doxa (Russian Revolution).
Global Empire as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The Clarry Conners-trained Starry Jack (Outreach) led all the way to win the other trial, defeating Queen Of The Ball (I Am Invincible) from the Freedman stable and the Maher and Eustace-trained Boldinho (Brazen Beau), who made good ground late for third.
Starry Jack was making his third trial appearance, and first of this campaign, and could prove a canny piece on investment for his owners at Magnificent Thoroughbreds, who paid just $3000 for him as a weanling back in 2020.
Home Affairs returns in grand style
The much-anticipated return to the trials of G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) lived up to expectations with the star colt leading all the way over the 800 metres at Warwick Farm to win comfortably in 49.06s.
The Chris Waller-trained 3-year-old was rated perfectly by James McDonald on the pace jumping straight to the front and easing his way around to finish 0.8l clear of the top-class mare Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) who closed off nicely from the back of the field for second.
Finishing third in the trial was the John O'Shea-trained import Maximal (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who tracked the speed throughout and was beaten only 0.9l. The three-quarter brother to Frankel's (GB), Maximal's only raceday appearance in Australia was when he finished a creditable sixth in the Golden Eagle.
In a star-studded opening heat, Group 1 winner Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB}), Home Affairs' stablemate, also closed well to be beaten 1.4l in fourth.
Hungry Heart and Ice Bath (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Another Group 1 winner, Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}), was seventh some 4.2l off the winner in a trio of horses that also included last start G1 Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) and G1 Queensland Oaks winner Duais (Shamus Award).
It was the only 800-metre trial for the open horses and while overall time wasn't that slick, the final 600 metres in 34.96s on a Soft 7 track was a nice first hitout for many of the horses ahead of the autumn.
The most likely path forward for Home Affairs will be another trial before a likely first-up run in the G1 Lightning S. at Flemington on February 19. The long-term goal for the Waller camp is to get him to Royal Ascot to contest the G1 Diamond Jubilee S.
