Trial report: O' Ole back in business

Written by Kit Gow

Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

O' Ole (Ole Kirk), a placegetter in the G3 Gimcrack S., returned to trials on Friday morning, displaying her class with a comfortable win. Legend Racing also introduced a speedy son of Deep Field, while an Edward O'Rourke trainee showed impressive pace.

O’ Ole sizzles in trial return

Gimcrack S. runner-up O’ Ole stole the show on the Randwick-Kensington track on Friday morning, jumping from the outside barrier in her juvenile heat and cruising around the outside of the pack to run down A Bar In Paris (Rubick) by 0.74l. The Bjorn Baker-trained filly contributed to a fantastic start to her father’s stud career with her placing, and came very close to giving the Vinery Stud-based freshman sire a juvenile stakes double at the beginning of October.

The fourth foal of provincial winner Vellor (Sepoy), O’ Ole was a $325,000 purchase for Bjorn Baker Racing and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of breeders Gilgai Farm at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January. Vellor is a daughter of triple Group 2-winning Hosannah (Octagonal {NZ}), making her a half-sister to G2 Magic Night S. winner Altar (Commands). She foaled a full sister to O’ Ole last spring, and was not served that season.

Juvenile double for Baker with fast finishing Hayek

Bjorn Baker chalked up a juvenile trial double at Kensington on Friday, when Hayek (Capitalist) took out the other 2-year-old heat by 0.92l. The son of Newgate Farm’s banner stallion showed a good turn of foot in his debut trial, skipping away from Extractor (Spirit Of Boom) in the home straight for a comfortable victory.

Offered by Bhima Thoroughbreds on behalf of Jonathan Munz’s GSA Bloodstock at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Hayek was purchased by the Bjorn Baker Racing and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) team for $300,000. He is the eighth foal of Purely Spectacular (NZ) (Pins), making him a half-brother to stallions Prague and Stratum Star. Prague’s first 2-year-olds hit the track this spring and Baker is the trainer of his well-related son Dunquin, out of a full sister to G1 J & B Metropolitan S. winner Whiskey Baron (Manhattan Rain). Another daughter is G3 Champagne S.-placed Serenade (Star Witness). Purely Spectacular is a full sister to Listed Lion Red Plate winner Raid, who ran second in the G1 Diamond S.. She passed away in 2023, with Hayek being her last foal.

Capitalist will have a strong presence at the races this weekend, led by Encap in the $10,000,000 Golden Eagle and Kiko contesting the G3 Furphy Sprint.

Step Quick living up to his name for Snowden

Exquisitely bred Step Quick (Alabama Express) put it all together in his Randwick-Kensington trial on Friday morning. The 3-year-old gelding, retained to race by breeder Yulong Investments, has had several trials since first stepping out in November last year and wore headgear for the first time, helping him to run down Dubai Warrior (Pride Of Dubai) and score by 0.28l for Peter Snowden.

Step Quick is the first foal of dual juvenile stakes winner Catch Me (I Am Invincible), who won the G3 Gimcrack S. on debut and followed it up with victory in the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies). She returned at three to run fourth in the G3 San Domenico S. behind Exceedance. She is a half-sister to G3 Black Opal S. placegetter Metallicity (Zoustar), out of a half-sister to Listed Placid Ark S. victress Ocean Jewel (Ocean Park {NZ}). Yulong Investments purchased her for $625,000 as a yearling at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in 2018, where she was offered by Segenhoe Stud.

Catch Me’s 2-year-old Chatsworth (Written Tycoon) has also been retained and is in the stable of Gary Portelli. She foaled another colt by Written Tycoon last spring, before producing a filly by fellow Yulong Stud resident Pierata in September of this year.

Quartz Legend a diamond in the rough

Legend Racing proprietor Bon Ho has long been a fan of Deep Field, sire of his G3 Vo Rogue Plate winner Fashion Legend, and another son, Quartz Legend, showed his promise in a Randwick-Kensington trial on Friday morning. The 3-year-old gelding, trained by Ho’s long-time main trainer Les Bridge, comfortably accounted for paternal sister Cindersea when winning by 1.21l. He posted the second fastest last 600 metres of the morning, speeding home in 32.83s.

A $260,000 purchase for Legend Racing from Newgate Farm’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft, Quartz Legend comes from excellent stock, being the son of G3 Silver Shadow S. victress Pane In The Glass (Testa Rossa). This makes him a full brother to G2 Euclase S. winner Xilong, whose first yearling by Exceed And Excel went through the ring at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale this year. Named Excenia, she was purchased by Cambridge Stud, Mcevoy Mitchell Racing, and Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) for $250,000, and finished third in her debut trial in September. Pane In The Glass has had several misses in the breeding barn since Quartz Legend, before foaling a filly by Wild Ruler this season.

Concoction cooks up a stellar performance at Kensington

Concoction (Rageese) was eye-catching in his 1250-metre trial at Randwick-Kensington on Friday morning, where the 3-year-old went from 5l behind eventual runner-up Air Miles (Extreme Choice) to overtaking him in the last furlong for a 5.17l trial win. Trained by Edward O’Rourke, the Ramsey Pastoral-owned gelding showed a similar turn of foot in his debut trial in October, running down Stop The Tape (Russian Revolution) late from midfield to win by 0.47l.

Bred by Ramsey Pastoral, Concoction is the fourth named foal of two-time winner Chemistry (Sharmadal {USA}), a daughter of G1 Queensland Oaks placegetter Tick By (Zabeel {NZ}), who is herself a daughter of talented racemare Klokka (Marscay), winner of the G2 Magic Night S. among five Group wins. Chemistry has a 2-year-old by Exceedance and awaits a foal by Supido this spring. Former Windsor Park Stud-based Rageese passed away in 2022, his progeny to date being Listed Dunedin Guineas winner Collect Your Cash.

Hanseatic filly a smart jump-out victress

Lindsay Park delivered a smart jump-out winner for freshman sire Hanseatic at Flemington on Friday, where his daughter Rohesia rounded the pack and darted away for the win in her heat. Godolphin’s well-bred Demarcate (Brazen Beau) was unable to catch the 2-year-old colt as he sprinted away.

Bred by Fernrigg Farm, Rohesia was offered by Rosemont Stud at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, where she was bought by Lindsay Park Racing for $150,000. She is the first foal of winning I Am Invincible mare Vinni Rose, a half-sister to Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic winner Centrefire (Shooting To Win). Vinni Rose had a filly by Dundeel (NZ) last spring, before being covering by Acrobat. Rosemont Stud-based Hanseatic covers his fourth book this season at a fee of $16,500 (inc GST).

Zebra Finch in cruise control at Flemington

The smart Zebra Finch (Exceed And Excel) led all the way in a juvenile jump-out at Flemington on Friday morning, comfortably accounting for his rivals for James Cumming. The Blue Army half-brother to G3 Adrian Knox S. victress Honeycreeper (Teofilo {Ire}) never looked anything but comfortable as he builds towards a juvenile debut.

Son of juvenile winner Painted Firetail (Lonhro), Zebra Finch descends from blue hen Blue Note (Fr) (Habitat {USA}), the G2 Prix Maurice de Gheest-winning dam of two Group 1 winners and ancestor of current Hong Kong performer Berlin Tango (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Honeycreeper expects a foal by Proisir this spring, and Painted Firetail produced a filly by Ghaiyyath (Ire) last year before slipping to Kermadec (NZ).