Written by Kit Gow
Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
A fresh batch of potential Godolphin stars stepped out at the 2-year-old trials on Thursday, as well as more seasoned youngsters showing they have come along leaps and bounds since their first trials. At Rosehill Gardens, a son of Farnan stole the show when bolting home into second place - certainly one to watch!
First season sires impress at Rosehill
Gallo Nero (Wootton Bassett {GB}) held on to the lead in the first juvenile trial at Rosehill Gardens on Thursday morning, where he was not placed under much pressure by Tyler Schiller in order to win the heat by 0.29l. The Hawkes Racing trainee was given an equally comfortable steer earlier in the month when finishing fourth behind Good Hotspur (Calyx {GB}). His trainers paid $370,000 for the son of city winner Chianti (I Am Invincible), who was unlucky to finish sixth in the G3 Red Roses where she was 1.1l behind the winner, Written Beauty (Written Tycoon).
Gallo Nero | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Bred by Kambula Stud and Mr Shane Doyle and presented at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Glenbeigh Farm, Gallo Nero is a grandson of G3 Sycamore Sprint winner Sweet Sanette (SAF) (Jallad {USA}), who also finished third in the G1 King's Stand S.. Chianti slipped to Snitzel last year, and foaled a filly by Anamoe this spring.
Wootton Bassett (GB) returned to Coolmore Australia this season with his service feee more than doubling to $192,500 (inc GST), off the strength of his Northern Hemisphere progeny's continued top performances. His top priced yearling from his first Southern Hemisphere crop, $2.1million filly Avantaggia, has yet to publicly trial.
The most exciting runs in the same trial came from the runners up, particularly Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou’s King Of Pop (Farnan) who came roaring round the outside from last, several lengths behind Gallo Nero, to hit the line hard and continue to improve past the winner after the post. The 2-year-old won his first trial at the beginning of the month where he showed early glimmers of that turn of foot, running down Mrs Flanders (Anders) for a 0.5l victory. Fierce (Capitalist) was also impressive in Thursday's trial, sitting a pair ahead of King Of Pop coming into the home straight and finishing off strongly to cross the line just 0.19l further back in third.
North sold the Kitchwin Hills, Whitby Bloodstock, and Neil Werrett-bred colt to his trainers at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $800,000, with both Whitby Bloodstock and Werrett retaining shares in him. His dam Za Zi Ba (All Too Hard), third in the Listed Darby Munro S., is a half-sister to G1 Epsom H. victor Rediener (Redoute’s Choice) and Listed Phelan Ready S. winner Rathlin (Fastnet Rock). Za Zi Ba delivered a colt by Russian Revolution this spring. Farnan’s first winner came at the weekend, when North England took out the $1,001,000 Inglis Golden Gift, and King Of Pop appears to be another promising type.
Blue Army dominates in the Hawkesbury
Godolphin produced a trifecta in the first juvenile trial at Hawkesbury on Thursday morning, led by the strong finishing Matima (Lonhro). Charka (Exceed And Excel) was hot on his heels, 0.16l behind, and Lipstick (Street Boss {USA}) produced a big finish to nearly catch her stablemates at the line, 0.59l behind the winner. A further 1.17l separated Lipstick and the fourth-placed runner. All three were debutants for James Cummings, who also prepared the winner and third placed finisher in the following juvenile trial.
Matima is the second foal from Listed Silk Stocking H. winner Demerara (Commands), and her older full sister Turbinado was a debut winner in February as a 2-year-old. Demerara is a full sister to Listed Hawkesbury Guineas winner Limes, and missed to Street Boss (USA) last season, before visiting Harry Angel (Ire). She foaled a colt by Darley’s World Champion Sprinter in September.
Charka, out of five-time winner Handspun (Bernardini {USA}), is a direct descendant of Champion 2YO and six-time Group 1 winner Bounding Away (Biscay). Curiously the closest black type in her family is her third dam, G2 Queen of the Turf S.-winning In A Bound (Ashkalani {Ire}). Speedy Lipstick is out of Accoutrements (Exceed And Excel), a full sister to Helmet and G2 Tea Rose S. winner Pearls, and half-sister to sires Epaulette and Bullbars, as well as Pericles (Street Boss {USA}), victor in the $2,000,000 Five Diamonds at the weekend.
Lull (Exceed And Excel) was Cummings’s winner in the second trial, bolting home with her last 600 metres being 1.55s faster than the first juvenile trial. She finished second last month on debut to Tupakara (Trapeze Artist) and confidently pulled away in the home straight at her second outing, with Last Tour (Farnan) chasing hard to come second by 0.52l. Lull is the first foal from dual Listed winner Soothing (Lonhro), who delivered a full sister last year before passing away. Stablemate Ligularia (Too Darn Hot {GB}), half-sister to G3 Baillieu H. winner Amur (Snitzel), finished third.
Professional Playwright on the improve for Waterhouse and Bott
The Playwright (Written By) was a consummate professional in the second juvenile trial at Rosehill on Thursday, keeping at bay both Cosmic Eagle (Deep Field) and Extremely Perfect (Extreme Choice) in the home straight to score a 1.69l victory. The 2-year-old filly debuted with a third placing behind O’ Ole (Ole Kirk) at the start of November and looked like a seasoned competitor in her second trial for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable.
The Playwright | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Newhaven Park Stud initially offered the daughter of Widden Stud’s Champion 2YO Colt Written By at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale where she did not sell. They reoffered her at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where Tricolours Racing and Syndications purchased her for $60,000.
The Playwright is the fourth foal from juvenile winner Sugarparma (Snitzel), who was placed in both the Listed Dalrello S. and the $101,000 Wellington Boot, and is a half-sister to G3 Skyline S.-placed Collect (Fastnet Rock). Sugarparma has visited Newhaven Park Stud resident Xtravagant (NZ) the last two years, producing a yearling filly and a colt.
