Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
It was another superb morning of trial action, with Rosehill conducting 16 heats on Thursday morning. The stars were on display, with imperious Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) flexing his well-sculpted muscles ahead of an anticipated return in the G1 CF Orr S. in February at Caulfield.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained seven-time Group 1 winner stepped out in the opening heat held over 1000 metres and won by 1.1l from John O’Shea’s Diamil (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) and Navajo Peak (Territories {Ire}).
Alligator Blood’s classy stablemate Autumn Ballet (The Autumn Sun) was a narrow fourth, while Chris Waller’s G1 VRC Derby winner Manzoice (Almanzor {Fr}) trailled the field to the line.
The Listed Mode S. winner West Of Dalby (Santos), trained by Benjamin Smith, upstaged a group of well-performed gallopers to claim Heat 2 over 900 metres. The 3-year-old filly launched late to defeat the Group 1 winner Lindermann (Lonhro), while the high-class colt Red Resistance (Russian Revolution) showed his tenacity to hold third.
Heat 2 also saw the return of stakes winners Zougotcha (Zoustar), Buenos Noches (Supido) and Vienna Princess (Snitzel).
Empire holds Railway back
It was the battle of the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained bluebloods in Heat 6. The aptly named Yulong-owned Growing Empire (Zoustar) and the Coolmore-connected Railway Man (I Am Invincible) battled out the 1030-metre heat, with the former narrowly gaining the upper hand on Thursday.
Catching the eye from the back of the pack was David Payne’s Rag Queen (D’Argento). The filly has already won a race, breaking her maiden on debut at Canterbury, and ridden by Jason Collett, she hit the line strongly despite the margin being 4.65l from the winner.
Growing Empire is a son of Widden Stud’s Zoustar and the second foal from the Snitzel mare Miles Of Krishan. She won five races from 1200 to 1700 metres and was placed in the G2 Queen of the South S.
Miles Of Krishan’s first foal, Dancing Alone (I Am Invincible), was a $1.4 million purchase by Ellerslie Lodge and Bryce Heys from the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Dancing Alone has won six races and placed in the G3 Furphy Sprint.
Growing Empire at the Rosehill trials on Thursday | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Growing Empire hails from a top-class family that includes the Group 1 winners Terravista (Captain Rio {GB}) and Tiger Tees (NZ) (Dubawi {Ire}), and IL Quello Veloce (NZ) (Captain Rio {GB}), whose five victories as a juvenile included the G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce S. and saw her crowned the Champion 2-Year-Old in New Zealand.
Unsurprisingly, given his pedigree, Growing Empire was a $700,000 purchase by Yulong from the draft of Vinery Stud at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Growing Empire as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The second-placed Railway Man is the first foal from the G1 Oakleigh Plate victress Booker (Written Tycoon), and he was a $2.5 million purchase by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock from the draft of Coolmore Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Fly Fly flies
The Chris Waller-trained Star Thoroughbreds colour-bearer, Vanessi (Too Darn Hot {GB}), looked to have Heat 8 held over 900 metres at her mercy. However, two fillies were coming at a rate of knots on the inside and outside of the track.
Taking the inside path was the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Qatars Choice (I Am Invincible), while on the outside, Fly Fly (Trapeze Artist) from the Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes yard was going every step of the way with the inside filly.
Eventually, the two fillies collared Vanessi and it was Fly Fly who managed to put her head down on the line to claim success over Qatars Choice.
Fly Fly is a homebred for R R and P L Crosby, who also bred and raced her dam Dawn Dawn (All Too Hard). She won five races, including the G2 Guy Walter S.
The filly is Dawn Dawn’s first foal; she has fillies by The Autumn Sun and Wootton Bassett (GB) to follow and was served by Darley’s Anamoe in his debut book.
Qatars Choice is a daughter of the G1 Vinery Stud S., and G2 WH Stocks victress Fenway (High Chaparral {Ire}). Fenway was also placed in the G1 Schweppes Oaks and ran fourth in the G1 Australian Cup. She is already the dam of the G3 Schweppervescence winner Williamsburg (Snitzel). Williamsburg has also run placings in the G1 Rosehill Guineas and the G1 Champagne S.
Qatars Choice, runner-up in Heat 8 at the Rosehill trials on Thursday | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The filly was purchased for $950,000 by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock and David Redvers Bloodstock from the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale when offered by Arrowfield Stud.
Vanessi, who struck on for third, is from the first Southern Hemisphere crop of Darley’s exciting shuttler Too Darn Hot (GB). She is from the Anabaa (USA) mare Courtyard Circle, who won four races and has produced the Listed-placed pair Dream Circle (Dream Ahead {USA}) and Bold Circle (Bernardini {USA}).
Vanessi caught the eye of Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds and Brett Howard of Randwick Bloodstock Agency (FBAA). They paid $150,000 to secure her from the draft of Lime Country Thoroughbreds at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Pierata’s Pushpa impresses
Yulong’s Pierata looks to have another exciting prospect on his hands when the Annabel Neasham-trained Pushpa dug deep to find the front in Heat 9 and hold a fast-finishing Magical Moments (Winning Rupert) and Fun Fashion (Snitzel) in third.
Catching the eye, finishing fifth was Full Hao, the daughter of Castelvecchio. She only beat one home, and the margin was 5.91l. However, the Chris Waller-trained filly was barely asked for an effort by Kerrin McEvoy and coasted to the line under her own steam.
Full Hao is a daughter of Autumn Wind (Snitzel) and a granddaughter of the star filly Regimental Gal (General Nediym). The Champion 3-Year-Old Filly in Australia won the G1 Lightning S. and the G1 Australia S.
The winner, Pushpa, is the second foal from the Domesday mare Oregon’s Day. She won five races, including the G2 Hollindale S. and the G3 Frances Tressady S.
Oregon’s Day was also placed in the G1 Coolmore Classic and finished fourth in the G1 Queen of the Turf S. and the G1 Tattersall’s Tiara.
Pushpa as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Oregon’s Day is a daughter of the G3 Tesio S. victress Oregon Seal (NZ) (Oregon {USA}), who is also the dam of the G2 Perth Cup winner Talent Show (Jenue {GB}) and the Listed victor Oregon Spirit (Bel Esprit).
Pushpa was a $480,000 purchase by Kia Ora Stud and TFI from the draft of Segenhoe Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Colt rises to the occasion
The beautifully bred Everybody Rise (Snitzel) showed a nice turn-of-foot to glide through the middle of the pack and narrowly beat Pick Up The Tab (NZ) (Savabeel), who put up resistance in Heat 10.
Finishing third was Just Think Twice (Russian Revolution), while Godolphin’s Traffic Warden (Street Boss {USA}) came from midfield to hit the line strongly. Duvana (Dundeel {NZ}) didn’t have a lot of room but gave a good indication he possessed a motor when only beaten 2.8l in eighth under a hold.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Everybody Rise was placed on debut and looked like a promising proposition. He is the penultimate foal from Ballet D’Amour (Stravinsky {USA}), the dam of the dual Group 1 winner and Newgate Farm-based Russian Revolution.
Recently, the colt’s half-sister Ballet D’Esprit (I Am Invincible) was impressive in breaking her maiden at Randwick-Kensington.
Everybody Rise was a $1.4 million purchase by James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership from the draft of Newgate Farm at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Everybody Rise as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The eighth-placed Duvana is the fourth foal from the G1 Thousand Guineas winner Stay With Me (Street Cry {Ire}). She is the daughter of Champion race mare Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice).
Duvana was an $800,000 purchase by Kia Ora and TFI from the draft of Arrowfield Stud at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Enhance excels
The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Enhance (Exceed And Excel) was a dominant victor of Heat 11 over 900 metres.
Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, Enhance recorded a 2.84l winning margin over the Chris Waller-trained President (I Am Invincible). A further 4.06l away in third was Peace By The River (Lonhro) from the Benjamin Smith yard.
Enhance won Heat 11 over 900 metres at the Rosehill trials on Thursday | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The colt is the second foal from the imported Siyouni (Fr) mare Urban Rocket (GB). She was unraced and purchased by Ridgmont Farm, Boutique Thoroughbreds and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) from the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Urban Rocket is a daughter of Ruby Rocket (Ire) (Indian Rocket {GB}), a victress of the Listed Boadicea S. at Newmarket and the Listed Firth of Clyde S. Ruby Rocket was also placed in the G2 Summer S. and finished fourth in the G1 Cheveley Park S.
Urban Rocket is closely related to the 14-time winner Maarek (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who won the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp and the G2 British Champions Sprint.
Enhance was a $300,000 purchase by TFI from the draft of Ridgmont Farm at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
