Juvenile colts putting it all together
The juvenile colts were all big improvers in their Rosehill heat on Friday morning. Godolphin’s Burma Star (Exceed And Excel), the second foal of Group 2-placed Gongs (Dawn Approach {Ire}), atoned for his last-place finish behind Tuscany (Zoustar) at the Official 2YO Trials two weeks ago by swooping on second-place finisher Farnished (Farnan) just before the line for a 0.45l victory.
Farnished was showing equal improvement, having run a far more green fourth-place behind G3 Breeders’ Plate acceptor King Kirk (Ole Kirk) on the same day. Farnished is the third named foal from stakes-placed Comprende (I Am Invincible), a half-sister to talented performers Excites Zelady (Excites) and Zelady’s Night Out (Myboycharlie). He was a $650,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Kia Ora, Farnan Partnership, and Karl Brown. Farnished is one of two named foals by Kia Ora-based stallion Farnan that the stud bought into at the Gold Coast this year, along with $1,200,000 purchase Farcited, the second foal of G1 The Galaxy victress I Am Excited (Snitzel).
Far from disgraced 1l behind in third, Beiwacht (Bivouac) was last in King Kirk’s trial and was patiently ridden along by James McDonald in his second attempt. Beiwacht is a son of juvenile stakes winner Metastasio (Street Cry {Ire}), making him a half-brother to Listed winner Gravina (Sebring). His family traces back to blue hen Truly Special (Ire) (Caerleon {USA}), appearing most recently in the pedigrees of recent Listed victor Herman Hesse (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Champion Hong Kong sprinter Wellington (All Too Hard).
Zoustar juvenile filly shines bright
Had It All (Zoustar) has it all before her in her first trip to the trials, coming from near last at the turn to score by 0.39l over fellow first timer Saveur (Ole Kirk). She is the first living foal of Invictus Salute (Exceed And Excel), stakes-winning half-sister of Splintex, who is standing his third season at Darling View Thoroughbreds for $11,000 (inc GST). This is a high-class family featuring young sires Acrobat and Ozzmosis, as well as champion 2-year-old filly of her generation Learning To Fly (Justify {USA}).
Saveur is equally well-related as the half-sister to G1 Victoria Derby runner-up Hit The Shot (Dundeel {NZ}) and Listed-placed Moroccan Rose (Charge Forward). Through her second dam, Zest (Marauding {NZ}), she is connected to million-dollar purchase Espionage (Zoustar), last start winner of the G3 Kindergarten S. The Everest hopeful was outed for the spring three weeks ago, requiring surgery for a tibial bone sequestrum.
High Octane turns up the heat
High-class 3-year-old colt High Octane (Deep Field) burned a bit of jet fuel in a tick over trial at Rosehill on Friday, Adam Hyeronimus urged him along in the home straight to extend his lead over Compelling Truth (I Am Invincible) and I Am Me (I Am Invincible) for a 2.29l win. The son of dual stakes winner Granny Red Shoes (Not A Single Doubt) is hoping to atone for a fourth-place finish in the Listed Poseidon S. as the spring progresses.
Runners up Compelling Truth and I Am Me both have their next spring assignments firmly locked in for October 19. Compelling Truth, a winner of nine starts including last start victory in Bathurst’s $110,000 The Panorama, is currently on the fourth line of betting for the $2,000,000 Kosciuszko, the undercard to I Am Me’s next target. The talented race mare has netted over $3.5 million in prizemoney on her way to The Star & Arrowfield Stud’s The Everest slot.
At the time of writing, four slots still remain, with Yulong Investments signalling their intentions to lock in their promising colt Growing Empire (Zoustar). James Cummings indicated that Traffic Warden (Street Boss {USA}) may fill the Blue Army’s slot, but has also suggested that Godolphin may have to look elsewhere if they choose to save the G2 Run To The Rose winner for another day. There’s plenty of time for High Octane to put his hoof up for a chance to climb the mountain.
King Of Sparta still the sprinting king
Dual $1,000,000 Magic Millions Sprint champion King Of Sparta (I Am Invincible) showed he has returned in top form in the third trial of his preparation on Friday, extending away from the pack down the Rosehill straight to win by an easy 1.84l. The 6-year-old gelding has been a consistent feature of the spring before rolling up to the Gold Coast for the summer, where he has won a Magic Millions feature race every January for the last three years.
King Of Sparta | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
His Group 3-winning dam Octavia (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) has been wedded to I Am Invincible since King Of Sparta had his first trial at the official 2YO Trials at Randwick-Kensington and expects her sixth foal by Yarraman Park’s Champion Sire later this month.
Spring sprinters duel at Rosehill
Last start winner of the $5,000,000 The Quokka, Overpass (Vancouver), and current favourite for this year’s renewal of The Kosciuszko, Front Page (Magnus), clashed in the eighth trial at Rosehill on Friday morning. Overpass ultimately came out the victor by 1.19l, but Front Page still put over 1.5l between himself and third-placed Scorch (Impending). Each have won the past two editions of their respective headline races. Last year, Overpass finished 10th in the headline act on the same day that Front Page won The Kosciuszko. Four slots remain for Overpass to change his fate this year.
While Front Page is the best performing foal of five-time winner Stacey Lee (Bel Esprit), his full sister News Girl (Magnus) made a good account for herself on the track, twice placing at Group 3 level. A $375,000 Inglis Digital purchase for Two Bays Farm at the end of her racing career, her first foal is a yearling colt by Zoustar, and she was not covered again last spring.
Divine trial win for maiden Ella
Four-year-old maiden Divine Ella (Divine Prophet) put in an eye-catching performance in Heat 6 at Kembla Grange on Friday. The lightly raced mare kicked away in the home straight and proved too difficult for her rivals to catch, finishing 3.8l ahead of them with her ears pricked.
A $65,000 purchase for trainer Paul Murray at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale from the draft of Rothwell Park, she is the second foal of four-time winner Exellas (Helmet). The pedigree becomes international at her third dam Miss Mycenae (UAE) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}), a winning half-sister to Magna Graecia (Ire), the stakes-winning grandam of sire Territories (Ire).
Too Darn Lizzie is too darn quick for jump out rivals
Three-year-old filly Too Darn Lizzie (Too Darn Hot {GB}) enjoyed a tick over jump-out on Friday morning at Flemington, easily accounting for her rivals. Leading the whole way by a couple of lengths, she teased second-placed finisher Gentleman Roy (So You Think {NZ}) in the home straight by letting him drift closer, before powering away again to close off the 800-metre contest in 47.95s.
Too Darn Lizzie | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
A juvenile winner on debut in January, the daughter of Group 2 winner Enbihaar (Magnus) finished third in the Listed Jim Moloney S. at Caulfield on September 21. She has never finished further than 2.5l off the winner in four starts at stakes level.
Eleven-time winner Gentleman Roy has enjoyed a five-week break between racetrack appearances, last seen running third in Pinstriped’s (Street Boss {USA}) G1 Memsie S. The 8-year-old gelding broke the million-dollar prize barrier with a handicap in June, then won his next two starts including beating Pinstriped in the G2 P.B. Lawrence S. two weeks before the Memsie.
