Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Sunday’s extreme temperatures throughout Victoria on Sunday could be the reason for Imperatriz’s below-par trial on Monday morning.
Lining up against a host of fellow top-level winners in Heat 1 over 800 metres at Cranbourne, the eight-time Group 1 heroine seemed to travel well within herself before the turn, but didn’t display her usual turn of foot in the run to the line. After finishing fifth, jockey Michael Dee described her work as being “a little bit underwhelming and to the eye”.
Less than a fortnight out from her first-up assignment in the G1 Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington, the Mark Walker-trained Imperatriz finished fifth, several lengths adrift of the winner Cinderella Days (Astern).
“To be honest, everything seemed to be perfect with her. Her action and breathing and her temperament was normal, but I would say just her being here at her home track she might have just been a little bit casual,” Dee added.
“Her (Imperatriz’s) action and breathing and her temperament was normal, but I would say just her being here at her home track she might have just been a little bit casual.” - Michael Dee
“I’d say she’s used to going out there and having a slow canter around whereas, if she was away from her home track, she would probably spark-up a little bit more and be her normal self.”
Shortly after, Ben Gleeson, assistant trainer for Te Akau Racing Australia, told RSN he believes Sunday’s warm weather may have left the 5-year-old a little flat. Cranbourne, where Imperatriz is stabled, reached a top of 38 degrees.
“She’s fine,” Gleeson said.
“Obviously, to the eye, people are going to say it was underwhelming. I’ve had a look at the sectionals and she’s run 10.60s and 10.60s her last two furlongs. So, even though she was given a squeeze and probably didn’t travel as well as the others did, they still went pretty hard.
Ben Gleeson | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We’re not going to look into it too much.
“She’s pulled up fine, her scope is clean, all the vitals are that she’s perfectly fine.
“Knowing her, when it’s 29-30 degrees, she sweats up, she doesn’t handle the heat well at all.
“Knowing her (Imperatriz), when it’s 29-30 degrees, she sweats up, she doesn’t handle the heat well at all.” - Ben Gleeson
“Yesterday afternoon would have definitely knocked her around a little bit. Whether that’s left her a little bit quiet in herself, who knows?
“She’s had her two trials now, she’s fit, she’s well, there’s no excuse for her within herself, so we will put it down to that and soldier on to the Lightning.”
Cinderella Days, who has been transferred from Joe Pride to Grahame Begg, ran 44.85s. Meanwhile, the 2022 G1 Manikato S. victress Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) ran second in the trial, the Group 2 winner Passive Aggressive (Fastnet Rock), who was covered by I Am Invincible but failed to get in foal, was third, and talented 3-year-old colt I Am Unstoppable (I Am Invincible) - a Listed scorer, placed fourth.
Snitzel juvenile gets the job done
The Robbie Laing stable has been in good form of late, and he may soon have another winner, after his 2-year-old colt Pieris (Snitzel) won Heat 3 over 800 metres by 2l under Craig Williams.
The colt, who recorded a winning time of 45.23s, was bred by Gerry Harvey, before being offered by Baramul Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale. Laing paid $250,000 for him.
Snitzel | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
Pieris is from the four-time winner and Listed placegetter Mother’s Milk (NZ) (Savabeel), making the colt a half-brother to Fresh (Fastnet Rock), himself a winner at two and a Group 3 placegetter.
The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Kirk (Blue Point {Ire}) ran second, with the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Oodnadatta (Too Darn Hot {GB}) third.
One-two for McArdle
Heat 4 - a 2-year-old trial (800 metres) saw John McArdle’s Cheers (Sepoy) touch off stablemate Winston (Churchill {Ire}).
The winner clocked 46.48s and was partnered by Daniel Stackhouse.
Sepoy | Image courtesy of Darley
Shane Nichols’ Caporiko (Capitalist) was third.
Cheers was retained to race by his breeder Aqua Trained Thoroughbreds. The gelding is out of the winning Green Desert (USA) mare Pleats (Fr), which makes him a half-brother to Intriguing Lady (New Approach {Ire}) - a Group 3 placegetter in South Africa.
Unbeaten Otago cruises
The ultra-talented Otago (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) made light work of his opposition in Heat 10 - a 2-year-old and up trial over 990 metres.
A winner of his two starts, the 3-year-old gelding from the Price-Kent Jnr stable owned a 3l margin on the line. He was handled by Beau Mertens and stopped the clock at 57.13s.
Otago (NZ) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Amy and Ash Yargi’s Gangitano (Written By) placed second, with the Begg-trained Rivaport (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) third.
Tulloch Lodge juveniles impress
Given how well the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained 2-year-olds have been performing on race day, it was no surprise to see both Espionage (Zoustar) and Shangri La Express (Alabama Express) both notch trial wins at Rosehill on Monday.
Espionage took out Heat 10 (900 metres) by 0.8l in the hands of Nash Rawiller.
The G3 Breeders’ Plate victor clocked 53.76s, with Michael Freedman’s Last Command (Tassort) second and the Chris Waller-trained Gatsby’s (Snitzel) third.
Another juvenile bred by Harvey, James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership paid Baramul Stud $1 million for Espionage at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The colt is out of the winning Street Cry (Ire) mare In Times Of War, and his second dam is Military Rose (General Nediym) who was a Group 2 winner.
Espionage took out Heat 10 at the Rosehill Trials | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
TFI/Moody Racing Pty Ltd/James Harron Bloodstock went to $1.4 million for the Snitzel-In Times Of War colt at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He too was consigned by Baramul Stud.
Shangri La Express, meanwhile, claimed Heat 11 (900 metres) by 0.27l, running 54.10s under Tommy Berry.
Unbeaten in two starts and one of the favourites for the G1 Golden Slipper S. in March, the colt led home Freedman’s Enriched (I Am Invincible) and Waller’s President (I Am Invincible).
Offered by his breeder - Yulong Stud - at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Shangri La Express sold for $220,000, with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds buying.
The colt is from the winning Lonhro mare Sent From Above and his second dam is the Group 3 scorer Gamble Me (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}).
Unraced juveniles fillies show talent
Heat 7 saw a win to the James Cummings-trained Photograph (Blue Point {Ire}). She ran the 1030 metres in 1:04.31s with Zac Lloyd in the saddle.
The filly’s margin was 0.11l, with David Payne’s stablemates War Ribbon (Calyx {GB}) and Highland Hustle (Highland Reel {Ire}) filling the placings.
Photograph, who has now trialled on three occasions, is a Godolphin homebred. She is out of the two-time winner and Group 2 placegetter Memorial (Street Cry {Ire}) and she herself is a sister to Erato (Street Cry {Ire}) - the dam of the G1 Blue Diamond S. victress Lyre (Lonhro), and a half-sister to the Group 1 hero Impending, the Group 3 winner Forget (Exceed And Excel) and the Listed victress Epidemic (Lonhro).
Mnemosyne (Encosta De Lago) is Photograph’s grandam and she triumphed in top company on two occasions.
Later, the Team Hawkes-trained Fly Fly (Trapeze Artist) ran 54.45s to score a 0.33l victory in Heat 9 (900 metres).
Fly Fly was partnered by Lloyd and she was too good for Bjorn Baker’s Magical Moments (Winning Rupert) and Catonahotinroof (Too Darn Hot {GB}) from the Anthony Cummings barn.
The winning filly is a homebred for Rob and Pam Crosby.
Fly Fly is from the Group 2 winner Dawn Dawn (All Too Hard) and is closely related to the Group 2 victress Beat The Fade (NZ) (Maroof {USA}).
Gelded Group 1 hero looks good
The Waller-trained Lindermann (Lonhro) did not tast victory in five subsequent appearances following his triumph in last year’s G1 Rosehill Guineas, and the 4-year-old has now been gelded.
Lindermann | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
His trial win in Heat 1 (1000 metres) under Berry indicates he may be in for a good campaign.
Lindermann stopped the clock at 59.24s, and he had a 0.44l margin on the line. Sara Ryan’s Attractable (I Am Invincible) ran second, with Payne’s Group 2 victor Navajo Peak (Territories {Ire}) second.
