by Anthony Manton
Despite being late in the season and with most of the top 2-year-olds either in the paddock or preparing for the final 2-year-old Group 1 of the season in Brisbane, Friday morning's barrier trials at Rosehill featured a good mix of well-bred youngsters to follow for the future.
Petronius (Redoute’s Choice) continued his impressive trial form this preparation leading throughout to win heat three over 1030m.
Petronius is from the dam Cat By The Tale (USA) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}). He is a full-brother to Group 2-placegetters Tale Of Choice (Redoute’s Choice) and Raphael’s Cat (Redoute’s Choice).
A graduate of the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Petronius brought $1 million as a yearling for James Moore Bloodstock.
Petronius as a yearling
Trained by Gary Moore, Petronius was first sent to the trials earlier this year and although finishing unplaced in both outings appears to have improved significantly this time in. After winning his first trial this preparation on May 13 at Rosehill, he backed that up with a similar performance on Friday morning, crossing from an outside barrier he was never headed to win the trial by 1 length.
After two trials this time in Petronius looks ready to head to the races, expect to see him lining-up in a provincial maiden in the coming weeks.
Finishing 2nd in the same heat was $375,000 yearling purchase Leviathan (Zoustar) for James Harron and trained by Peter & Paul Snowden.
Leviathan is the first foal from multiple stakes-placed dam Lady Lakshmi (Lonhro), a half-sister to dual stakes-winner Celebrity Girl (Starcraft {NZ}) and stakes-placed Albaicin (Redoute’s Choice), the dam of multiple stakes-winner Generalife (Lonhro).
His grand-dam Dashing Granada (Keltrice) was a stakes-winner as a 2-year-old and was later stakes-placed as a 3-year-old. He’s from the family of stakes-winners Kablammo (Marauding {NZ}), and Northeast Sheila (Keltrice), dam of Jacqueline Rouge (Ne Coupez Pas {USA}).
Leviathan had been gelded since his previous trial at Rosehill on May 13, and appears to have gone much better at his latest trial.
Leviathan as a yearling
Heat six featured Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}), a half-sister to Group 1 winner Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}).
Funstar is from the dam Starspangled (Ire) (Danehill {USA}), a full-sister to Irish stakes-winner Downtown (Ire) (Danehill {USA}), and half-sister to UK stakes-winner Two Miles West (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}). As a broodmare Starspangled has not only produced Youngstar, but also West Australian stakes-placed Eleven Seconds (Encosta De Lago).
Trained by Chris Waller, Funstar was an $80,000 purchase from the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for Anton Koolman Bloodstock.
Funstar as a yearling
Funstar was having her first trial this preparation after a three-month break. She had trialled twice earlier this year in February and March. Jockey James McDonald elected to take a sit with the filly just behind the leaders, and allowed her to breeze home along the inside under her own steam to win the trial impressively over 900m, it was very encouraging work for a filly that is obviously bred to get to a middle distance trip.
Funstar is from the first crop of 2-year-olds for Cox Plate winner Adelaide. Adelaide has only had two runners this season in Australia and is yet to sire a winner. He stands at Coolmore for a service fee of $11,000.
Heat ten saw the return of Papal Warrior (Fastnet Rock) to the trials, and on the strength of Friday's effort he is going to be very hard to beat wherever he lines-up at the races.
Papal Warrior is from the dam Cloud Song (Encosta De Lago), a half-sister to stakes-winners Tulip (Pierro), and Sacred Eye (High Chaparral {Ire}), and stakes-placed Sikorsky (Pierro).
Trained by Peter & Paul Snowden, Papal Warrior had just one race start in February finishing 3rd at Canterbury and was a touch unlucky.
Returning to the trials after a three-month break, Papal Warrior easily crossed the field from an outside barrier and led throughout extending in the home straight to effortlessly put a margin on his rivals and win by 2 lengths.
Papal Warrior looks ready to go to the races and win first-up, keep an eye out for the colt in a mid-week or provincial maiden in the coming weeks.
Chasing Papal Warrior home in heat ten was Pyraminx (Rubick), a $100,000 colt sold at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for local trainer Lee Curtis.
Pyraminx as a yearling
Pyraminx is the second foal to race from the dam Madam Nash (Flying Spur), an eight-time winner with earnings of over $340,000 when trained by Chris Waller in Sydney.
Earlier this year Madam Nash’s third foal, a filly by Star Witness sold for $350,000 at the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale to Orbis Bloodstock.
Pyraminx is from the first crop by Rubick, who has had a great start to his stud career thanks largely to the success of Group 2-winner Yes Yes Yes (Rubick), and is currently amongst the leading first season sires in Australia with eleven individual winners this season. Due to his success Rubick’s stud fee has more than doubled from $17,600 in 2018 to $38,500 this season.
For his first trial, Pyraminx closed-off very strongly and ran through the line well indicating Curtis has a bit of talent to work with. Expect to see him again at the trials before a race start.
