Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Traffic Warden on track for high flying autumn
After a mixed spring that saw him be beaten 0.14l in the G1 Golden Rose before being scratched in the gates at the G1 Everest, Traffic Warden (Street Boss {USA}) was back on track on Thursday with a soft hit-out at Rosehill Gardens. The 3-year-old colt finished third to Shezanalister (Star Turn), split by fresh import Givemethebeatboys (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}). Speaking to RacingNSW earlier in the week, James Cummings confirmed that the Godolphin homebred would have lofty goals for the autumn, and would kick off his campaign in February.
“He’s a (G2) Run To the Rose winner, and the quality of horses that have won that race speaks volumes about what class of horse he is,’’ Cummings said. “A narrow second in the Golden Rose is not to be sneezed at either, so I wouldn’t underestimate the horse going into the autumn.
“We can aim high with him and the team remains extremely hopeful he has that big race performance on the right day in him.”
Traffic Warden features high in the pre-nominations betting for both the G1 TJ Smith S. and the G1 The Galaxy.
The second foal of winning Exceed And Excel mare Efficiently, Traffic Warden is a grandson of G2 Sandown Guineas winner Dextrous (Quest For Fame {GB}), whose other offspring include three stallions; G1 Champagne S. winner Skilled, Champion 2YO Colt Sidestep, and G2 Theo Marks H. winner Ambidexter. Efficiently has a yearling full brother to Traffic Warden to come through the Blue Army’s ranks, and was exported to Great Britain ahead of the 2024 breeding season after missing to Blue Point (Ire).
Joliestar refreshes with interstate goals in mind
G1 1000 Guineas winner Joliestar (Zoustar) returned to the trials on Thursday morning for the first time in the new year. Under the care of Chris Waller, the 4-year-old mare added the G3 Show County S. to her record in her spring preparation and comfortably won her Rosehill Gardens trial by 0.28l.
Waller’s assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth confirmed that the G1 Newmarket H. in March 8 was high among possible autumn targets.
"We obviously know she goes so well first-up so we are focused on that and taking advantage of her first-up record," Duckworth said. "She has come back really well. We are focusing on getting her to switch off and relax.”
Bred by Mr C Barham out of G2 Roman Consul S. winner Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock), Joliestar was offered by Segenhoe Stud at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where Cambridge Stud purchased her for $950,000.
Jolie Bay is a full sister to dual hemisphere Group 1 winner Merchant Navy, as well as Listed Queensland Day Plate winner Setana and Zara Bay, dam of G2 Premiere S. winner Airman (I Am Invincible). She has a yearling full sister to Joliestar that has not appeared in a sales catalogue, and delivered a filly by Anamoe in the spring, before returning to Zoustar.
Snazzytavi and Raziah tick over ahead of Group 1 goals
Last start winner of the G1 Zabeel Classic, Snazzytavi (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) ticked over nicely with a second-placed finish in a Pukekohe trial on Thursday morning. The 5-year-old mare, trained by Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall, is currently entered for the G1 Herbie Dyke S. at the beginning of next month. G3 Barneswood Farm S. winner Raziah (NZ) (Niagara) was not pressured at the tail of the field. The Tony Pike-trained 3-year-old filly has been nominated for the G1 New Zealand Oaks in March.
Bred by Suncroft Bloodstock, Snazzytavi was passed in at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale when offered by Curraghmore, and was subsequently acquired to race by Cambridge Stud’s Brendan MNZM and Jo Lindsay. She is a daughter of Listed New Zealand St Leger winner Ritzy Lady (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), and a half-sister of G3 WW Cockram S. placegetter Le Societe (Anabaa {USA}), whose son Grand Pierro (Pierro) won the Listed Bagot H. on New Years Day.
Ritzy Lady’s youngest foal is the unraced 2-year-old High Society (NZ) (Ace High), and she was served by Divine Prophet in the spring.
Unbeaten Inglis star revs engine at Rosehill Gardens
The unbeaten winner of the R. Listed Inglis Banner and R. Listed Inglis Nursery, Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}) showed off her customary turn of foot in her trial return at Rosehill Gardens on Thursday morning. The Bjorn Baker-trained filly flew down the outside of her juvenile heat to finish 0.09l behind Snitzel Miss (Snitzel). Within The Law currently sits second in the ballot order for the R. Listed Inglis Millennium, behind $1 million Golden Gift winner North England (Farnan), who graduated from the same sale as her.
A $30,000 buy for Darby Racing from Yulong’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft, Within The Law is the first foal from Dundeel (NZ) mare Contract Signed, whose dam So Much Joy (Red Ransom) is a half-sister to eight-time winner and G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen-winning Sterling City (Nadeem) and G2 Tulloch S. winner Tipungwuti (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}). Her dam, multiple Group-winning So Gorgeous (Brief Truce {USA}), is a half-sister to 10-time winner Wild Queen (Loup Savage {USA}), grandam of Godolphin hero Kementari (Lonhro).
Contract Signed has a yearling full brother to Within The Law, and was covered by Lucky Vega (Ire) again this spring.
North Pacific colt breezes home by big margin at Pukekohe
Pacific Breeze (North Pacific) ran home by an impressive margin at the Pukekohe trials on Thursday morning, putting 4.5l on Time Test (GB) filly Unrestrained (NZ) to win at his second public outing. The Steven Cole-trained juvenile is shaping up to be a handy son of Newgate Farm’s Group 1-winning North Pacific, whose first race winner came in November with his son Brazen Sailor.
Bred by Mrs J Sergi, Pacific Breeze was offered as a weanling by Barador Stud at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale in 2023, where Woburn Farm paid $50,000 for him. He subsequently passed in at last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
He is the most recent foal from winning Redoute’s Choice mare Auckland Beauty, a daughter of G2 Shorts H. winner Fritz’s Princess (More Than Ready {USA}). After missing the last two seasons, Auckland Beauty was served by All Too Hard in December.
Amelita winds up for rosy autumn campaign
Another Waller stable star had a quiet hit-out later on Thursday morning at Rosehill Gardens; G3 Red Roses S.-winning 3-year-old filly Amelita (Zousain) travelled comfortably in her 900-metre heat to finish 1.4l behind runaway winner Madrina (Street Boss {USA}).
Bred by Mr R Pegum, Amelita was sold by Edinglassie Thoroughbreds for $280,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and purchased by Magic Bloodstock, Noel and Maria Greenhalgh and Julia Ritchie.
Dam Miss Amelia (More Than Ready {USA}) is a winning daughter of G2 Silver Slipper S. winner Amelia’s Dream (Redoute’s Choice) and half-sister to nine-time winner and Listed-placed Impasse (Sepoy). Miss Amelia has a yearling full sister to Amelita, who passed in at the Gold Coast earlier this month when offered by Cressfield, and was sent to New Zealand in August again in foal to their Widden Stud-based sire.
