Written by Oz Wedmore
Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
There was plenty of action at Warwick Farm trials on Monday morning including four juvenile heats and some Group 1 stars stretching their legs.
The first two heats of the morning were held on the Course Proper and Heat 1 contained a host of elite racehorses. Multiple-Group 1 winner Forbidden Love (All Too Hard) jumped into an early lead under Kerrin McEvoy and was impressive as she extended under minimal urgings to finish 6.88l clear of Godolphin’s Andermatt (Snitzel).
Taking in a quiet workout under James McDonald was one of the stars of the spring in Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}), who was settled in the final trio alongside Group 1 winners Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) and Fangirl (Sebring). Hard-held by their jockeys, those three remained at the rear of the field as they crossed the line.
Forbidden Love finished the 900-metre trial in a time of 53.84s, covering the final 600 metres in 34.17s on a Good 4 surface.
The second heat, over the same course and distance, saw Godolphin’s Group 3 winner Zapateo (Brazen Beau) run away with a 3.09l margin under Rachel King, finishing ahead of Gary Portelli’s Sejardan (Sebring), the star juvenile who showed he’d trained on when taking out the G3 Red Anchor S. at Moonee Valley last October.
A further 6.3l away in third was Chris Waller’s Zougotcha (Zoustar), whose unbeaten run this season saw her win the G1 Flight S. on her last start back on October 1. She was given an easy time under James McDonald. Zapateo crossed the line in a time of 53.76s, clocking 33.78s for the final 600 metres.
Gallery: Heat 1 and 2, images courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Warned by his trainer that he never shows up well in trials, Annabel Neasham’s Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel) finished second-last under a pressing Nash Rawiller, just ahead the Chris Waller-trained El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), whose only start in Australia resulted in a third-place finish in the G1 Cox Plate last October.
Two of Godolphin’s other exciting prospects from the spring were also in action on Monday morning, both trialling over 795 metres. Coolmore Stud S. winner In Secret (I Am Invincible) improved in the straight to finish fourth in Heat 9, whilst Aft Cabin (Astern) ran out a 1.37l winner of the following heat, again under James McDonald, in a time of 48.33s.
Juvenile action
The 2-year-old trials, all of which were over 792 metres, kicked off in Heat 11 with the Michael Freedman-trained filly Mumbai Muse (Zoustar) putting a 0.61l margin into another filly, Satin And Silk (I Am Invincible), who was fifth in the G3 Gimcrack S. for Peter and Paul Snowden. Mumbai Muse has had just one previous trial in which she finished second, also at Warwick Farm, and improved well under James McDonald once she had some room in the straight to take the trial in 46.91s, covering the final 600 metres in 33.83s.
A nose away in third was Annabel Neasham’s Rubick colt Room For Squares, having also run third in a pair of trials during the spring.
Mumbai Muse was a $525,000 purchase by her trainer and Julian Blaxland Bloodstock (FBAA) at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Out of the juvenile-winning Fastnet Rock mare Mumbai Rock, she is a half-sister to Listed winner Jazz Etude and the precocious, Group 3-placed Mumbai Jewel - both by I Am Invincible.
Gallery: Heat 11, images courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The next trial saw the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt Tarabeau (Brazen Beau) given a notably firm workout from the front end by Regan Bayliss, and he emerged a 1.16l winner from Michael Freedman’s filly Allaboutella (Trapeze Artist), who finished 0.37l ahead of another filly, Divine Glory (Hellbent), in third. Tarabeau completed the trial in 46.39s, the final 600 metres in 33.47s.
Tarabeau has had just the one run, placing sixth in the G3 Breeders’ Plate last October. He was a $90,000 purchase by his trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the draft of Silverdale Farm at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
The Tulloch Lodge team also took the following trial, Heat 13, as Sicilian (I Am Invincible) was worked up under Tim Clark to fend of the late challenge of stablemate Just Glamorous (Justify {USA}), whose dam is dual-Group 1 winner Global Glamour (Star Witness). She finished 1.05l ahead of Madeira Sunrise (I Am Invincible), who was having her first trial for Michael Freedman.
Gallery: Heat 12 and 13, images courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Sicilian was a $650,000 purchase by her trainers at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and is out of G3 MRC Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies) third Pursuits (Lonhro). She finished the trial in 46.16s, taking the final 600 metres in 33.02s.
The final juvenile heat of the morning was also the fastest run, as Annabel Neasham's filly Learning To Fly (Justify {USA}) picked up impressively to finish 0.43l ahead of G3 Gimcrack S. runner-up Perfect Proposal (Russian Revolution). In third, 0.96l away, was Brad Widdup’s Deep Field filly Lizzie’s Gem, contesting her second trial, and fourth was Godolphin’s Listed Maribyrnong Trial winner Zulfiqar (Exceed And Excel).
Learning To Fly completed the trial in 45.83s, clocking 32.88s for the final 600 metres, both the fastest amongst their peers on Monday.
Gallery: Heat 14, images courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Learning To Fly was put away after finishing second to Sicilian at Randwick’s Official 2-Year-Old Trials last September, and was winning her first trial having stepped out at Warwick Farm two weeks previously. Running in the Coolmore colours, her ownership is also shared between Westerberg, Mr J Poulin and Kia Ora Stud, and she was signed for by the latter at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where she cost $900,000.
