Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Vibrant Sun returns to trials at Randwick
Last year’s G1 Australasian Oaks winner, who led home a historic trifecta for her sire, Vibrant Sun (The Autumn Sun) made her first appearance on the racetrack this year on Thursday morning at Randwick. The 4-year-old mare, trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jnr), wasn’t put under much pressure in midfield and strode home without asking to finish fifth by 2.86l to Fleetwood (Encryption).
Video: View the replay of Heat 3 at Randwick trials on Thursday, footage courtesy of Racing NSW
A $260,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) and Price from Canning Downs, Vibrant Rouge has only raced twice since her victory on this upcoming weekend last year. Her dam Vibrant Rouge (Written Tycoon) was sold on the Inglis Digital March (Late) Auction for $70,000 to Grant Bloodstock, carrying a positive pregnancy to Shinzo.
Well-bred filly lifts for Emirates Park
The exceptionally well-related juvenile Nazwah (Capitalist) showed her pedigree was no fluke with a dashing trial win at Randwick on Thursday morning. The Peter Snowden-trained filly got her head down and lengthened in the home straight, overcoming a large, spread out field to win her second lifetime trial by 1.48l over Crocodile (Ghaiyyath {Ire}).
Video: View the replay of Nazwah winning Heat 8 at Randwick trials on Thursday, footage courtesy of Racing NSW
Out of dual Group 3-winning Najoom (Northern Meteor), Nazwah is a half-sister to multiple Group-winning Charm Stone (I Am Invincible) and dual Listed winner Najmaty (I Am Invincible). Najoom is in foal to Tassort.
Extreme Choice sires a juvenile double at Randwick
The sire of this season’s G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner was well-represented at Randwick on Thursday morning where two of his juvenile offspring claimed heats; Pimlico (Extreme Choice) showed improvement in his third trial for John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, stalking the leader before darting past in the final furlong to clinch a 1.18l victory, and then Mimi’s (Extreme Choice), a Tulloch Lodge-trained filly who hadn’t trialled since November, led the way home despite a wide trip to win by 1.4l.
Video: View the replay of Pimlico winning Heat 10 at Randwick trials on Thursday, footage courtesy of Racing NSW
A $1.2 million Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase for Rosemont Stud from Newgate Farm, Pimlico is the third named foal from Listed winner Coco As In Chanel (USA) (Awesome Again {Can}). Kennewell Racing and Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) purchased his full brother at Easter this year for $200,000, and the mare has a weanling as well by Extreme Choice.
Purchased by her trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $525,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Mimi’s is a half-sister to Group 2-winning young sire King’s Gambit. Her dual Group 3-winning dam Sultry Feeling (Encosta De Lago) produced a full brother to King’s Gambit in 2023, who Newgate Farm sold at Magic Millions this year for $350,000 to Kennewell Racing and Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA). She is back in foal to I Am Invincible.
Video: View the replay of Mimi's winning Heat 13 at Randwick trials on Thursday, footage courtesy of Racing NSW
Half to Lilac blitzes home at Randwick
Agarwood (Wootton Bassett {GB}), a juvenile half-sister to G3 James HB Carr Stakes winner Lilac (Justify {USA}), won her Thursday morning trial at Randwick in a stylish fashion. The leader coming into the home straight, the Tulloch Lodge-trained filly let down impressively, leaving her rivals in the dust with a 7.78l victory under only slight pressure from Rachel King.
Video: View the replay of Agarwood winning Heat 11 at Randwick trials on Thursday, footage courtesy of Racing NSW
Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott, and Kestrel Thoroughbreds paid $420,000 to take Agarwood home from Coolmore’s draft at the Inglis Easter sale last year. Dam Paulownia (Fastnet Rock) headed to the United States last year to visit Justify (USA) on Southern Hemisphere time, and returned in December with a positive pregnancy test to the outstanding sire.
Farnan doubles up at Wyong
Farnan, who is jostling with Ole Kirk for the first season sire premiership title, sired a trial win double at Wyong on Thursday morning; the Kris Lees-trained colt Fasvara went through his gears with a late burst of speed to win his heat by 0.87l over Salma’s Star (Star Turn), and Brad Widdup’s filly Avon Calling dashed home a few heats later with a similarly impressive turn of foot to win by 1.07l on the Heavy 9 track.
Purchased by Coventry Bloodstock at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale for $160,000, Fasvara is raced by Kia Ora Stud. He is the first of three Farnan foals from Bulle De Champagne (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), a half-sister to deceased New Zealand sire Contributer (Ire). A full brother to this colt sold to F Lui for $260,000 from Riverstone Lodge’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft this year.
A $160,000 purchase for his trainer from Lucas Bloodstock at the Magic Millions sale last January, Avon Calling is the third foal from Miss Cosmetic (Fastnet Rock), a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Fiveandahalfstar (Hotel Grand) and a full sister to Word Games, the dam of G1 Spring Champion Stakes winner El Castello (Castelvecchio).
Pillow Fight battles home to win Randwick heat
Farnan may have chalked up a trifecta of trial wins on Thursday if it hadn’t been for the efforts of Pillow Fight (Zoustar) in his Randwick heat. The Bjorn Baker-trained juvenile filly lifted with Farset (Farnan) in the home straight and matched her rival stride for stride until ultimately emerging victorious by 0.35l, with a 2.22l gap back to the rest of the field.
Video: View the replay of Pillow Fight winning Heat 14 at Randwick trials on Thursday, footage courtesy of Racing NSW
Purchased by Bjorn Baker Racing. Cunningham Thoroughbreds, and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) for $375,000 from Newgate’s Magic Millions draft last year, Pillow Fight is the fourth named foal from Group 3 performer Slumber Party (Snitzel), whose close family includes Not A Single Doubt and dual Listed winner Come Hither (Redoute’s Choice). Slumber Party has a weanling by Justify, and visited So You Think (NZ) in the spring.
Snitzel juveniles quinella in thrilling finish
A pair of Snitzel 2-year-olds posted a quinella at Randwick on Thursday morning; Bjorn Baker-trained filly Rainbow Glow always looked the winner on account of her huge stride, despite some green moments, but Chris Waller colt Equerry got his head down late under pressure from Nash Rawiller to run within 0.41l of the winner, with 2.25l back to third place.
Video: View Rainbow Glow winning Heat 15 at Randwick trials on Thursday, footage courtesy of Racing NSW
Retained to race by Cressfield, Rainbow Glow is the fifth foal - and fifth filly - from multiple Group winner Wild Rain (Manhattan Rain). After foaling a colt by Zoustar in the spring, Wild Rain visited Wootton Bassett (GB). Ciaron Maher purchased her Home Affairs colt for $420,000 at Magic Millions this past January.
