Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Randwick held 12 heats on Tuesday morning. Among the heats were two for the juveniles, one of which saw the return of the Group 3-placed Yulong colt Straight Charge (Written By) and the unveiling of a $1.3 million purchase Trunk (Snitzel), also owned by the operation.
Other action included the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable training the trifecta in the second juvenile heat and the return of Shaken (I Am Invincible), a daughter of the brilliant mare Earthquake (Exceed And Excel).
Straight charges to the front
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Straight Charge (Written By) had already shown his connections to be a colt of considerable talent when he was placed on debut in the G3 Breeders’ Plate behind his stablemate Espionage (Zoustar).
On Tuesday, the son of Widden Stud’s second-season sire, Written By, returned to the fold with an all-the-way victory in Heat 8 held over 742 metres. Straight Charge, ridden by Tim Clark, showed plenty of toe and was a little reminder in the straight bursting away from his high-priced stablemate Trunk. Running into third was Beer Baron (Cosmic Force).
Straight Charge is the second foal from the I Am Invincible mare Matryoshka, a half-sister to the high-class pair Winning Rupert and Tycoon Evie (Written Tycoon). The former claimed the G2 Champagne Classic and the G3 Vo Rogue Plate, and the latter won the Pam O’Neill S. and was placed in the G3 Wenona Girl.
Straight Charge was a $160,000 pinhook by Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Pegasus Bloodstock from the draft of Twin Hills Stud at the 2022 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale. Lime Country Thoroughbreds reoffered the colt at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where Yulong paid $270,000 to secure him.
The second-placed Trunk, also owned by Yulong, commanded $1.3 million from the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the draft of Highgrove Stud. The colt is from the seven-time winner Acquired (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), who has produced the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint and the G2 Bobbie Lewis victor Splintex. Trunk is also a full brother to the Group 3-placed Invictus Salute and a half-brother to Acqume (Sepoy), who placed in the Listed Fireball S.
Trunk as a yearling, second in Heat 8, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Inglis
Furthermore, the colt is from the famed Hips Don’t Lie (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}) family that includes the star juvenile Learning To Fly (Justify {USA}) and the multiple Group 1-placed Lake Geneva (Fastnet Rock) and the recent G1 Coolmore Stud S. hero Ozzmosis (Zoustar).
Beer Baron, who finished third, is from the first-crop of Newgate Stud’s Cosmic Force. The colt is trained by Neil Osborne and was bred by the Osborne family. He is the sixth foal from the Beautiful Crown (USA) Ice Cold Crownie.
Beer Baron hails from the family of the Listed TC Aushorse Golden Horseshoe victress Kiwi Karma (NZ) (Fast ‘n’ Famous) and the Group 2-placed Seaway (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}).
Gallery: Heat 8, images courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The colt was passed in for $100,000 when offered by Mane Lodge at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and was withdrawn from the 2023 Inglis Ready2Race Sale.
Waterhouse and Bott runners dominate
Unsurprisingly, the 2-year-olds from the Waterhouse and Bott stable played a prominent role in Tuesday’s trials. After supplying the 1-2 in the first juvenile heat (8), the stable went better with the trifecta in Heat 9.
Toque, a daughter of Street Boss (USA), ridden by Regan Bayliss, settled towards the outside of the track alongside stablemate Poised (I Am Invincible). In contrast, her other stablemate, Jupiter Hills (Exceedance), struck hard against the rail. Upon entering the straight, Bayliss was keen to make a race of the 742-metre heat, while Tim Clark, aboard Jupiter Hills, took up the challenge; the two fillies ran away from Poised, with Toque getting a 0.83l advantage over the Exceedance filly.
Toque is the second foal from the Exceed And Excel mare Gorgons, a daughter of the Listed Gibson Carmichael S. victress Euryale (Lonhro). The filly descends from the family of the speedy Athena Lass (Snitzel), the dam of the dominant R. Listed Inglis Millennium victor Profiteer.
Toque cost Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing, and Kestrel Thoroughbreds $200,000 from the draft of A List Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The second placegetter, Jupiter Hills, is a daughter of the promising first-season sire Exceedance, who stands at Vinery Stud. The filly is the second foal from the Pendragon (NZ) mare Miss Gunpowder, a talented runner who won the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude.
Jupiter Hills was also purchased by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing in conjunction with Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $380,000 when offered by Vinery Stud at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Gallery: The winning trifecta trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in Heat 9, images courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Poised, a daughter of Australia’s reigning Champion Sire I Am Invincible, finished third. She is the second foal from the Oratorio mare Private Dancer, who won the Listed Challenge S. and finished third in the G2 Champion Fillies S.
Poised was a $280,000 pinhook by Trilogy Racing from the draft of Rushton Park at the 2022 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale. Longwood Thoroughbreds reoffered the filly at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling, where Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Blueblood Thoroughbreds and Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) secured her $400,000.
Deshauna leaves it late
On Tuesday morning, Tycoon Deshauna (Written Tycoon) left it to the last minute to secure success in Heat 10. The Waterhouse and Bott-trained filly, ridden by Tim Clark, narrowly captured Tropea (NZ) (Brazen Beau), while Generous Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}) ran third.
Tycoon Deshauna has yet to debut on raceday and is returning to the track after 30 weeks on the sidelines. She is the third foal from the Rothesay mare Supersay, a half-sister to the runaway G1 VRC Oaks victress Lasqueti Spirit (Beneteau).
Tycoon Deshauna as a yearling, winner of Heat 10, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Inglis
Tycoon Deshauna was a $140,000 pinhook by Ridgemont Farm and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of Woodside Park at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale. Ridgemont Farm reoffered the filly at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Kestrel Thoroughbreds and Mystery Downs paid $320,000.
Earthquake’s daughter shakes
Tuesday’s trial morning at Randwick saw the return of the royally bred Shaken, a daughter of the former star juvenile Earthquake.
The Godolphin homebred, ridden by Zac Lloyd, found the front relatively quickly in the 742-metre Heat 12 and held off Are EE Que (Sidestep) and Lizzie’s Gem (Deep Field).
Shaken was an impressive victress at Wyong and then placed at Randwick in her second preparation. Tuesday’s display suggests she is capable of adding to her resume this campaign.
Shaken’s dam, Earthquake, was crowned the Champion 2-Year-Old in Australia, winning the G1 Blue Diamond and the G2 Reisling S. She was also placed in the G1 Golden Slipper and made credible efforts as a 3-year-old to record placings in the G2 Tea Rose S. and the G2 Furious S.
The filly is also closely related to the G1 Thousand Guineas winner Madame Pommery (No Nay Never {USA}).
