Written by Kit Gow
Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
A horde of 2-year-olds squeezed in one last trial ahead of January's lucrative Magic Millions series on Monday, with Rivellino (Too Darn Hot {GB}) turning up the heat in an impressive performance at Rosehill Gardens. Two sons of Farnan lit up the track with strongs wins, and a daughter of Exceed And Excel found her wings on debut at Doomben.
Rivellino on fire at Rosehill
Rivellino (Too Darn Hot {GB}) stamped himself as one to watch after a late burst of extreme speed put the Kris Lees-trained 2-year-old over the line 1.9l ahead of his competition. It was the colt’s second time at the trials, and the trip to Rosehill Gardens paid off, with an impressive performance in the last furlong.
Bred by Mr SJ Murray with Brian and Pat Ireland, all of whom remain in the ownership, Rivellino was a $180,000 purchase from Lime Country Thoroughbreds’ Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft for Lees Racing and Bahen Bloodstock. He is the second foal from three-time winner Intrinsic (So You Think {NZ}), who ran fourth in the Listed Ramornie H. and Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic. She is out of G3 Sweet Embrace S.-placed Vecchia Roma (Testa Rossa), and is closely related to three-time Group 3 winner Winter Bride (Not A Single Doubt).
Intrinsic has a yearling colt by Written By and delivered a colt this spring by State Of Rest (Ire). She was served by Pride Of Dubai in October.
Exceloquent excels at Doomben debut
Exceed And Excel filly Exceloquent was an impressive winner of her juvenile heat on the Doomben track on Monday morning. The Tony Gollan trainee overtook Inside Passage (Vancouver) and scorched to a 2.5l victory at her first public outing.
Bred by Wallings Bloodstock, Exceloquent was a $450,000 purchase from the Tyreel Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for her trainer, John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA), and Blacksoil Bloodstock. She is the first foal of Listed Jim Moloney S. victress I Am Eloquent (I Am Invincible), a daughter of Listed Wenona Girl H. winner Choice Words (Choisir). She is a half-sister to Listed Singapore Golden Horse-placed Silo (GB).
I Am Eloquent has a filly by Stay Inside heading to Inglis's Riverside Stables in February as Lot 302 in Tyreel Stud’s draft, and a filly by Anamoe at foot. She returned to Anamoe in October.
Iniesta bobs head at the right time
John O'Shea and Tom Charlton’s Iniesta (Farnan) pulled away at just the right moment in his debut trial at Rosehill Gardens, scoring a 0.34l victory over In Limbo (Hellbent), with Guardsman (Extreme Choice) hot on their heels. The 2-year-old colt needed just a little coaxing from Zac Lloyd to stretch out in the shadow of the winning post.
A $240,000 purchase for his trainers and James Bester Bloodstock from Widden Stud’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Iniesta is the third foal from G2 Shorts H.-placed Nieta (Nicconi), a half-sister to G3 WJ Healy S. runner-up Tumbler (Time Thief). Their dam was a half-sister to 11-time winner Sincero (Umatilla) who took out both the G1 George Main S. and the G1 BRC Stradbroke H.. Nieta has an Anamoe colt on the ground and was served by Jacquinot in October.
Freelove improvement shines through
Miss Freelove (Tassort) improved off of her debut second earlier in the month to win her trial at Rosehill Gardens on Monday morning. The 2-year-old filly, trained by Peter Snowden, travelled wide and kicked well within the last furlong to down Saytara (Written Tycoon) by 0.89l in her 900-metre trial.
Bred by Redbank North, Miss Freelove was offered at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale by Twin Hills Stud, where Trilogy Racing and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) purchased her for $110,000. She is the third living foal from unraced Sebring mare Vee, a half-sister to Listed Perth S. winner Terror Force (Al Maher) and HK$4.3 million ($888,000) earner Momentum Galaxy (The Factor {USA}). Vee has a yearling colt by Anders and was served this spring by Lovatsville’s dual Group 3-winning stallion Generation.
North Pole delivers on debut
North Pole (Farnan) pulled off a comfortable 0.35l victory over Fabulantes (Star Turn) at Doomben on Monday morning. The 2-year-old gelding was on debut for Kelly Schweida, and continued the trend of Farnan offspring being as precocious as their sire.
Retained to race by Highgrove Stud, he is the seventh named foal from G2 Champagne Classic-placed mare Global Dream (Fastnet Rock), whose other offspring include G3 Breeders’ Plate winner Global Quest (More Than Ready {USA}) and Listed Calaway Gal S. runner-up Minks Star (Star Witness). Global Dream is a half-sister to G2 Shannon S. winner Noire (Foxwedge).
Global Dream’s filly by Pinatubo (Ire) will be Lot 254 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in February, and she has a colt at foot by Stay Inside, having been sold on the Inglis Digital platform in April for $140,000 to A King. She was covered by Home Affairs last month.
Country God flies home for Parnham
Country God (Playing God) again outshone his rivals at the Belmont trials on Monday morning. Neville Parnham’s 2-year-old colt was a debut trial winner earlier in the month, and increased his winning margin over the 400 metres to 4.19l over debutante Baby Pearl (Rommel).
Country God was purchased for $80,000 by his trainer from his breeder Yarradale Stud at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale and is the first foal of Parnham’s five-time winner City Circle (City Place {USA}). She is out of Flying Angel (Flying Spur), who was also trained by Parnham before injury curtailed her career. Flying Angel is a half-sister to Listed Hilton Hotels S. winner Bigelow (Al Maher), who also ran third in the G2 Sandown Guineas behind Pressday, who passed away after just one season at stud.
City Circle has a yearling full brother to Country God and foaled a colt this season by Maschino. Flying Angel’s Playing God filly will head to Magic Millions Perth as Lot 219 in Geisel Park Stud’s draft.
