Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Rosehill took centre stage on Friday, hosting 12 trials on a Soft 6 surface. The opening heat, held over 1030 metres, saw a six-way go with little separating the eight runners.
It took the judges several moments to declare the numbers for Heat 1, eventually naming More Secrets (More Than Ready {USA}) from the Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes stable as the winner, edging out an eye-catching effort from Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou’s Brosnan (Snitzel).
Arguably, the two were the best-performed horses on the track in the trial. More Secrets, a 6-year-old daughter of the late shuttle sensation More Than Ready (USA), has won four races and has placings in the G1 Queen of the Turf S., the G2 Hot Danish S., the G2 Guy Walter S., and the G3 Angst S.
More Than Ready (USA) | Image courtesy of Vinery
More Secrets is from the Fastnet Rock mare Secret Indulgence (NZ), who has also produced the dual Group 3 winner and Group 2-placed Amangiri (All Too Hard). Secret Indulgence’s colt by Better Than Ready was sold for $240,000 to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing and Kestrel Thoroughbreds at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The mare foaled a filly by Better Than Ready last spring and returned to that star Queenslander, who stands at Lyndhurst Stud Farm.
Meanwhile, Brosnan, a striking grey son of Snitzel, was a $1.05 million purchase by Kitchwin Hills from the draft of Newhaven Park at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He is the second foal from the talented Domesday mare Supara, who recorded placings in the G2 Surround S., the G2 Emancipation S., and the G2 Phar Lap S.
“Brosnan, a striking grey son of Snitzel, was a $1.05 million purchase by Kitchwin Hills from the draft of Newhaven Park at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.”
Brosnan is also her best-performed runner to date, placing in the G1 JJ Atkins S. and emulating his dam with a third in the G2 Phar Lap S.
Supara’s following foal, a filly by Written Tycoon named Superbly Written, has won twice, while her Capitalist filly Cherish The Day is unraced. Supara’s Ole Kirk filly was purchased by Griffiths De Kock Fillies Partnership and Peter Ford (FBAA) for $1 million at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Last spring, she foaled a filly by Russian Revolution.
Another nice one for Pierata?
The Yulong-based Pierata, a son of Pierro, has made an encouraging start to his stud career with eight winners from his first crop, including two stakes winners and three stakes performers. Pierata looks to have another smart one on his hands with the Richard and Will Freedman-trained Global Eclipse.
Global Eclipse, partnered by Jason Collett, took up the running in Heat 2, held over 1030 metres. The unraced 2-year-old travelled strongly into the Rosehill straight and, with a little encouragement, maintained a 1.3l margin over Bitten By Barry (D’Argento) and Playbill (The Autumn Sun) in Arrowfield’s colours. Sticking gamely, without being asked for much, was Godolphin’s Mellifluent (Exceed And Excel), who interestingly is from the Lonhro mare Smooth, a sister to Pierro and the dam of the Listed winner Sandpaper (Snitzel).
Global Eclipse as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Global Eclipse is the sixth foal from Global Dream, a daughter of Fastnet Rock, who was third in the G2 Champagne Classic and fourth in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Global Dream is a proven producer, with her first foal, Invincible Dash (I Am Invincible), winning eight races. He was followed by Global Quest (More Than Ready {USA}), a victor of the G3 Breeders’ Plate and a placegetter in the G2 Silver Slipper S. and the G3 Canonbury S.
Another sibling to Global Eclipse, Minks Star (Star Witness), won five races and was placed in the Listed Calaway Gal S. and fourth in the Listed Bill Carter S.
Global Dream has a yearling colt by Kia Ora Stud’s G1 Golden Slipper victor Farnan and foaled a filly by Darley’s exciting prospect Pinatubo (Ire). Global Dream visited another Golden Slipper winner in Stay Inside last spring.
“Another sibling to Global Eclipse, Minks Star (Star Witness), won five races and was placed in the Listed Calaway Gal S. and fourth in the Listed Bill Carter S.”
The son of Pierata was a $500,000 purchase by Kitchwin Hills and MiRunners from the draft of Highgrove Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Global Eclipse comes from an outstanding family that includes the Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Noire (Foxwedge) and Media (Gilded Time {USA}).
Prosperous Dragon shows toe
Heat 3 was an intriguing contest over 1030 metres, won by the unraced Prosperous Dragon (Russian Revolution) from the Jake Hull stable, defeating Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou’s Zoomorphic (Zoustar).
Prosperous Dragon, partnered by Reece Jones, showed good early speed to control the trial and managed to sprint clear to record a convincing 2.68l victory. Zoomorphic, with Tyler Schiller in the saddle, chased hard to finish second, while the fourth-placed Ilovenews (Press Statement) was another to make ground late in a trial dominated by the winner.
Prosperous Dragon as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The unraced 3-year-old son of Russian Revolution is the ninth foal from the unraced Encosta De Lago mare Easy To Read and a half-brother to the Group 2-placed Dyslexic (Foxwedge). Easy To Read has an unraced 2-year-old by Microphone named Megaphone Miss and was served by Time To Reign last spring.
Prosperous Dragon was a $40,000 purchase by WBF Thoroughbreds from the draft of Kingstar Farm at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and fetched the same sum when offered at the 2022 Inglis Ready2Race Sale, bought by Equi-Com Syndications.
The second-placed Zoomorphic (Zoustar) is the first foal from the hugely talented Spright (Hinchinbrook). She won six races, including the G1 Robert Sangster S. and three Group 3 contests. Additionally, she was placed in the G1 William Reid S., the G1 Moir S., and the G1 Goodwood H., and finished fourth in the G1 Stradbroke H. and the G1 Manikato S.
“Heat 3 was an intriguing contest over 1030 metres, won by the unraced Prosperous Dragon from the Jake Hull stable, defeating Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou’s Zoomorphic.”
Zoomorphic is followed by an unraced colt by I Am Invincible named Behaviour, who was purchased for $1.6 million by Tom Magnier at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Spright’s following two foals are by Yarraman Park’s Champion Sire, and she visited Coolmore’s Wootton Bassett last spring.
Mawjood scorches the turf
Since finishing sixth on debut at Canterbury, the Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes-trained Mawjood (Tassort) has impressed in two trials, the latest on Friday, where he ran out a 5.03l winner of Heat 6 over 900 metres.
Mawjood, carrying the silks of his breeder and owners Emirates Park, was ridden by the recent Group 1-winning jockey Zac Lloyd. He showed plenty of early speed to sit outside the leader, Eminent Arrival (Headwater). The two were clear from the remaining opposition heading into the straight, but Mawjood quickly pulled away from Eminent Arrival in the business end of the heat.
Finishing strongly in second was the intriguing Delrico (Kingman {GB}) from Chris Waller’s stable. Eminent Arrival held on to third from Dwayne (So You Think {NZ}).
Mawjood is the penultimate foal from the Eavesdropper (USA) mare Maysoon, a three-time winner. The son of Tassort is a half-brother to Mayaaseh (Exceed And Excel), who was third in the G3 Gimcrack S., and Mayameen (Mulaazem), a winner of six races. Maysoon’s final foal, a filly by Flying Artie, was purchased by S Chambers for $40,000 at the 2024 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
The second-placed Delrico is yet to make his race debut and carries the colours of Australian Bloodstock. His sire, Kingman (GB), needs no introduction. His dam, Blue Angel (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), won twice and was placed in Listed company, also finishing fourth in the Group 3 Oak Tree S. at Goodwood. She is a half-sister to Empowering (Ire) (Encosta De Lago), a winner of the G3 Irish 1000 Guineas Trial and the Listed Sweet Mimosa S., and the G2 Royal Lodge S. winner Mohawk (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who also finished fourth in two Group 1 contests.
Gold for Written in Heat 7
A small field of five contested Heat 7 over 900 metres, with Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou’s Written Gold (Written By) prevailing over Majorca Sunset (The Autumn Sun) and TheBlade (Toronado {Ire}). Rounding out the heat were State Of Affairs (Dundeel {NZ}) and Chief Of Staff (Zoustar), a son of First Seal (Fastnet Rock), who once conquered Winx (Street Cry {Ire}).
Written Gold was a $70,000 purchase by City Gold Bloodstock from the Widden Stud draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale. He is the second foal from the unraced Sebring mare Five Card Charlie, whose first foal, Beauty Missile (Smart Missile), was placed in the Listed Anzac Day S.
A full sister to Written Gold was purchased by Bayliss Racing for $25,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Five Card Charlie was served by Twin Hills Farm’s G1 Blue Diamond victor, Daumier.
Brave One excites
Vinery’s Exceedance is another first-season sire making an exciting start to his new career. The son of Exceed And Excel has sired six individual winners of eight races, including two stakes winners.
His son Brave One, trained by Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes, who also trained Exceedance, looks like another smart prospect with a comfortable victory in Heat 8 over 900 metres.
Partnered by Zac Lloyd, Brave One kicked on to hold off Now Is The Hour (I Am Invincible), while Righteous Legend (Justify {USA}) held for third. Finishing soundly, without fighting out the finish, was Automne Tree (The Autumn Sun), with Barbary (Zoustar) completing the trial.
Brave One as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Brave One was a $300,000 purchase by Hawkes Racing from the draft of Vinery Stud at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. The colt is from the well-related and performed Northern Meteor mare Runaway Star, who won six races, including the G3 Proud Miss S. and the Listed Matrice S. twice.
Runaway Star is a half-sister to the Listed victor What You Need (Supido), while her third dam, Wrap Around (Bletchingly), won nine races, including the G1 William Reid S. and was placed in a host of Group 1 contests.
Furthermore, Brave One is from the family of the Australian Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, Fashions Afield (Redoute’s Choice), and the G2 Todman S. winner Kiss And Make Up.
“Brave One, trained by Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes, who also trained Exceedance, looks like another smart prospect with a comfortable victory in Heat 8 over 900 metres.”
The second-placed Now Is The Hour is from the Redoute’s Choice mare Ravi, who counts the G3 Sheraco S. and Listed Just Now H. among her six victories. He was a $675,000 purchase by China Horse Club, Newgate, Go, and Trilogy from the draft of Kia Ora Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Meanwhile, Righteous Legend was a $200,000 purchase by Legend Racing from the draft of Cambridge Stud at the 2023 Inglis Premier Sale. Like Ravi, he is from a daughter of Redoute’s Choice: Abidewithme (NZ), a winner of nine races, including the G2 JC Travis S. and the G2 Tauranga S.
Additionally, she was placed several times in Group 1 races. Abidewithme is a half-sister to the nine-time victor Stockman (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and the Group 1-placed Miss Scarlatti (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}).
McEvoy takes two
Kerrin McEvoy rode back-to-back winners in the 2-year-old fillies' heats on Friday morning. Partnering the Chris Waller-trained Extremely Hardys (Extreme Choice) in Heat 9, the pair triumphed over Souad (Merchant Navy) and Bauhinia (Hellbent), with her stablemate Milinzi (Impending) finishing soundly in fourth.
Extremely Hardys showed a good turn of foot to chase down Esraar (Brazen Beau), who looked set to win before feeling the pinch. The daughter of Extreme Choice is unraced and was a $300,000 purchase by Guy Mulcaster and Chris Waller Racing from the draft of Newgate Farm at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
She is the sixth foal from the winning More Than Ready (USA) mare Killcareless, who is also the dam of the triple winner and R. Listed Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic-placed Remorseless (Written Tycoon). Killcareless’ Cosmic Force filly was sold for $100,000 to BK Racing and Breeding and Vassallo Racing Management at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She returned to the young Newgate Farm-based stallion in the spring.
McEvoy then took the saddle of Elegant Artist (Trapeze Artist) for Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou for a narrow success in Heat 10. The daughter of Trapeze Artist has raced twice, with her best effort being a second at Canterbury. On Friday, Elegant Artist managed to get a narrow advantage over O’Invincible (Snitzel), with Ti Amo Tanto (Fastnet Rock) and Art’s Alive (Snitzel) finishing strongly in third and fourth, respectively.
Elegant Artist is from the Listed-winning Pierro mare I Like It Easy, who is also the dam of the Group 3 winner Facile, also by Trapeze Artist. She was recently sold at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $700,000 to Alma Vale Thoroughbreds.
O’Invincible, who finished second, is the first live foal from the dual Group 1 winner Viddora (I Am Invincible). She was a $500,000 purchase by Bjorn Baker Racing, Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA), and Barry Lynch from the draft of Yulong at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Meanwhile, Ti Amo Tanto, from the Chris Waller stable, is a full sister to the outstanding Avantage, a nine-time Group 1 winner who was later sold for $4.1 million to Tom Magnier through New Zealand Bloodstock's online platform Gavelhouse Plus.
