Another star-studded set of barrier trials were conducted at Rosehill Gardens on Tuesday morning with plenty of spring aspirants stepping-out.

Firstly, heat one featured three individual Group 1-winners. Dual Everest winner Redzel (Snitzel), gun 3-year-old colt Castelvecchio (Dundeel {NZ}), and Nature Strip (Nicconi).

Group 2-winners Champagne Cuddles (Not A Single Doubt) and Yes Yes Yes (Rubick), stakes-winners Ready To Prophet (Smart Missile) and Godolphin’s European import Beau Ideal (GB) (Exceed And Excel) made up the Group & Listed trial.

The heat was taken out by Redzel. Wearing blinkers Tuesday morning in his second trial this preparation, Redzel switched right on, quickly out of the barriers showing his usual gate speed to easily lead Nature Strip,. He maintained an advantage to the line to win the heat over 1000m by ¾ of a length.

Nature Strip tagged Redzel in the run, and with minimal pressure down the straight was allowed off the heels of Redzel late and appeared to trial perhaps slightly better.

They dominated the heat with a big gap back to the rest of the field. Beau Ideal, Champagne Cuddles and Yes Yes Yes weren’t out to break any records and although safely held, all trialled well.

Redzel is a confirmed Everest runner for slot holder Yulong Investments, whereas Nature Strip is yet to secure a slot. Although Nature Strip seems to be harnessing his speed better, stretching him to 1200m in a high-pressure race like the Everest could be his biggest challenge. However, if kept under 1100m he looks on track to add to his already impressive record.

3-year-old colt Castelvecchio appeared to be run off his feet in the trial. He settled a clear last and lost contact with the rest of the field throughout the trial, to be beaten 17 lengths.

However, this was only his first outing of the spring, 1000m is well short of his best distance and he wasn’t wearing blinkers which he performs best in. It is also worth noting he was safely held in his lead-up trial at Warwick Farm prior to his slashing debut win at Canterbury in January, so perhaps its best to assess Castelvecchio again after his next trial expected to be at Warwick Farm on September 5.

In heat two most of the attention centred around West Australian mare Enticing Star (Testa Rossa), having her first hit-out at the trials since coming across from the west to the Chris Waller stable.

Enticing Star is a confirmed Everest runner in the slot of Chris Waller and partners.

Despite being a little slow to begin, Enticing Star settled just in behind the leaders fourth on the inside and cut the corner on the home turn. At the 300m jockey Hugh Bowman allowed Enticing Star to slide up alongside the leader, and she sprinted quickly to take control of the trial and cruised down to the line to win impressively.

Enticing Star has won eight of her ten starts in Perth. She is from the dam Favourite Star (More Than Ready {USA}), a half-sister to Group 1-placed Star Encounter (Jeune {GB}).

Second in heat two was Night’s Watch (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), another newcomer to Chris Waller’s stable for the spring.

A well-performed middle-distance horse in Victoria, Night’s Watch was excellent in his trial coming from near last on the turn and following Enticing Star through into a clear 2nd placing under no pressure from jockey Brenton Avdulla. Night’s Watch looks in great shape for a return to racing after two trials this preparation.

Skipping to heat nine where, the second of Bob Peters’ Everest contenders, Arcadia Queen (Pierro) lined-up for her first anticipated trial of the campaign since coming across from the west.

Arcadia Queen has been secured by slot holder The Star for this year's Everest.

Ridden by James McDonald, Arcadia Queen settled behind the leaders in fourth position, and not dissimilar to stablemate Enticing Star, cut the corner on the turn but was kept on a tight rein by McDonald down the home straight and went to the line a hard-held 2nd behind Greyworm (Master Of Design).

For both Enticing Star and Arcadia Queen it was exactly what Peters and Waller would have wanted to see at this stage of their preparations, as they head towards the $14 million Everest on October 19 at Randwick.

Another former West Australian acquisition for Chris Waller impressed in heat three, Come Play With Me (Blackfriars).

Noted as a stayer, Come Play With Me showed he was equally as sharp over shorter distances by easily leading the trial over 1030m, and quickened nicely at the top of the straight to put a gap in his rivals and maintained that advantage down to the line to win by 3.3 lengths.

A multiple stakes-winner, the 5-year-old gelding arrived with an impressive record of twelve wins from twenty-seven career starts from 1300m – 2200m, and prizemoney of almost $500,000 in the west. He is a son of dual West Australian stakes-winning mare Russian Playmate (Dr Johnson {USA}).

It is expected Come Play With Me will be aimed at the spring staying races in Sydney, with a race like the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap 2400m on October 5 a likely target.

Also of note was the winner of heat four, Penske (Sebring) for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, blitzing his trial leading throughout and winning by 6 lengths.

Bred by Yarraman Park Stud, Penske was a $150,000 purchase from 2015 Australian Easter Yearling Sale for Waterhouse and bloodstock agent Julian Blaxland. He is from Princess Natural (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), a half-sister to dual Group 1-placed Zizou (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}).

Penske has progressed in each of his preparations, graduating to contesting stakes company last time-in and judging by Tuesday’s trial can be followed again this campaign wherever he lines-up.

Trainer David Pfieffer produced his two stakes-winning mares I Am Excited (Snitzel), and Prophet’s Thumb (I Am Invincible) to win their respective trials in heats eight and ten.

Both mares bred and raced by Bell River Thoroughbreds looked in great order for their first outings of the spring. They were both handled by jockey Glen Boss, and came from off the pace before closing-off strongly down the straight taking the lead and winning as they liked.

Prophet’s Thumb trialled marginally better than her stablemate, but both look to be in for good campaigns and should be followed in the early spring carnival mare races.

Heat eleven featured Chris Waller’s boom 3-year-old filly Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}), finishing 2nd in her heat.

Funstar jumped straight to the front and led the trial at her own speed, before being challenged in the straight and despite not being pressured was just shaded late by 3-year-old colt Autocratic (Wandjina).

Funstar, a half-sister to Group 1-winner Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}) was an $80,000 purchase at the 2018 Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Funstar won both her races in her first preparation in June, and had not been seen publicly since. She is widely regarded as a filly of enormous potential, and a race like the Group 1 Flight Stakes 1600m at Randwick on October 5 would be high on her radar this spring should she keep progressing.

Finally, in heat sixteen Iresign (All Too Hard), the half-brother to Group 1 Golden Slipper winner Mossfun (Mossman) looks ready to break his maiden status very shortly after a brilliant trial win in the last heat of the morning.

Trained by Lee Curtis, Iresign led throughout and ran the fastest time of the morning for the nine 893m heats winning by 7.3 lengths.

Iresign was passed-in for $140,000 at the 2017 Australian Easter Yearling Sale and was retained by Fairview Park Stud to race.

Expect to see Iresign breaking his maiden very shortly on the strength of Tuesday’s trial victory.

By Bren O'Brien

The progeny of Zed (NZ) have made a lightning-fast start to the season in New Zealand with eight winners in the first 18 days, but things could get a lot better for the Grangewilliam Stud resident with his star mare Verry Elleegant (NZ) to resume in the G1 Winx S. on Saturday.

Zed's stud career has been one of peaks and valleys, but things are very much on the up after Verry Elleegant claimed two Group 1 victories in the Australian autumn in the Vinery Stud S. and the Australian Oaks.

Her return to the track for Chris Waller is very much anticipated by Grangewilliam Stud principal Mark Corcoran ahead of Zed's seventh season at the Wanganui farm, where he will stand for NZ$6000 (ex GST).

"She's obviously a pretty exciting mare. Fingers crossed everything is still on track with her. It will be very exciting to see her step out. Obviously, it’s a classy field this week. But she's headed towards the Cox Plate where she will meet the best, so she's got to front up," Corcoran told TDN AusNZ.

It was clear ahead of last breeding season, that Verry Elleegant was going to be one of Zed's best progeny. Under the guidance of Nick Bishara, she had won races at Ruakaka and Matamata in impressive fashion and was then sold to an Australian syndicate and sent to Darren Weir's Victorian stables.

That helped boost Zed's numbers above 80 last season, and similar numbers are expected in 2019 off the back of her Group 1 winning heroics, which contributed to a $2000 rise in his service fee.

"It certainly helps. She was racing this time last year, and she was winning before she was sold to Australia. She certainly stood out and people noticed her, that helped his book last year. He served 80-odd mares last year and he should serve that again this year," Corcoran said.

Last season, Zed finished seventh on the NZ Sires Table with a career-high 37 winners, while he also had four winners in Australia.

The 2019/20 season is only in its infancy, but he is currently a runaway leader on the NZ Sires Table with eight winners, including an early stakes success with the Simon Wilson trained Dez (NZ). There is no doubt the wet tracks which are a feature of this time of year are of assistance, but Corcoran said his best crops are only now reaching their peak.

"He's flying and has gone straight to the top of the sires table in New Zealand. He's got some good horses around, the likes of Herengawe (NZ) and Dez. That first crop that we had from here, the 2014 foals, they are out and about now, having taken a bit of time, they are really starting to hit the tracks in good numbers. I think he's going to have a good season," Corcoran said.

Zed served 168 mares in his first season at Grangewilliam, sparking a resurgence, and while his numbers dipped below 50 in 2016 and 2017, the past two seasons will give him a second wind.

Corcoran said the key has been the support of those invested in the horse, including Jomara Bloodstock, who bred the son of Zabeel (NZ) and raced him during his brief career.

"He's got a good mob of shareholders that support him. Jomara Bloodstock, who race Verry Elleegant, they have got seven mares coming to him this year. It's been good to see them have some success with his progeny," he said.

"He's ranged in service fees from $500 to $4000, so by no means has he had the best mares. He's a broodmare upgrader though. You can send him anything and he’ll leave them winners."

"He's never had a lot of sales breeders breeding to him. He's had a lot of trainers that have bred mares to him and hobby breeders, but he's certainly been starting to get a better quality of mare."

Gallery: Grangewilliam Stud stallions

Zed is one of four stallions that Grangewilliam Stud will stand this year, with Derryn, The Bold One (NZ) and Dial A Prayer (NZ).

"Derryn was a Group 2 winner over there and Group 1 placed and we haven't had his first foal yet, but that won't be far away," he said.

"We are really excited by what he can do. He's a lovely horse and he raced in top company over there. I'm eagerly awaiting his foals. He served 105 last year and has got really good support again this season. I'm really happy with the line-up of stallions we've got at the moment."

By Bren O'Brien

Businessman James Kennedy will entrust the running of his new racing operation in Victoria to South African trainer Chesney van Zyl.

Van Zyl, the son of leading South African trainer Gavin Van Zyl, was handpicked as part of a process led by Kennedy, who heads a luxury watch and jewellery business, and legendary American horseman Monty Roberts.

The 31-year-old Van Zyl worked as a farrier for three years before heading up a satellite stable for his father for a decade. He has been training in his own right for just over 12 months and saddled-up ten winners in that time.

Kennedy, whose company previously held naming rights sponsorship of VRC Oaks Day, has seven horses based at new leased stables at Pakenham and has ambitious plans for the new operation.

He has involved Roberts right from the process of selecting the horses as yearlings, through to the interviewing and selecting of staff.

Roberts was on the Gold Coast in January when Kennedy spent $270,000 on three yearlings in partnership with bloodstock agent Sheamus Mills. They included an Al Maher filly, and colts by Headwater and Sebring.

Kennedy picked up another four horses at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale under Roberts' guidance, all fillies.

He paid $190,000 for a filly by Coolmore's first-season sire Vancouver out of Dowager Princess (NZ) (Savabeel), the sister of G1 VRC Oaks placegetter Dowager Queen (NZ) and $175,000 for a Written Tycoon filly out of Group 3 winner Enquare (Stratum). He also paid $95,000 for a filly by Brazen Beau and $52,000 for a Dissident filly.

Van Zyl will lead a stable which will be based on Roberts' 'pain-free' philosophy, which minimises the use of whips.

Kennedy confirmed that whips will still be used during races, under the guidance of the regulations of racing set down by Racing Victoria. He said that Roberts' philosophy was very much about teaching the horses how to perform under their own motivation, not because of pain.

“For me it was initially around the care and welfare of animals more than anything else, the first mantra in my mind when I wanted to set up this business was around putting horses first," he told Melbourne radio station RSN on Tuesday.

“If we make everything other than winning the most important factor in thoroughbred racing I actually think we are going to win more than anyone else.”

Roberts, who turned 84 in May, will oversee the set-up of Van Zyl's new stable, which is expected to have its first runners over the spring.

Speaking to TDN AusNZ earlier this year, the legendary horseman who has worked with the likes of two-time Arc winner Alleged (USA) (Hoist The Flag {USA}) and the Australian champion Tobin Bronze (Arctic Explorer {GB}), expressed his admiration of how engaged Australians are with their racing.

"You have to say, that the overall inclusion of your population to the industry of racing, stands alone at the top of the world," Roberts said.

"It’s better than everywhere I've been and I've been everywhere there's racing."

Van Zyl's move from South Africa with his wife and family comes just weeks after it was confirmed that fellow South African Mike De Kock will look to set up a stable at Cranbourne in Victoria, headed up by his son Mathew.

To have your foal featured, send a landscape-oriented image to olivia@tdnausnz.com.au

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Pariah - First Foals 2019

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Video of the week

Looking Ahead puts the spotlight on runners of interest across Australia and New Zealand. Whether they are a particularly well-bred or high-priced runner having their first or second start, a promising galloper returning to the track or a horse which has trialled particularly well, we’ll aim to give you something to follow.

On Wednesday, we start out at Taupo, where a Kingman (GB) colt looks to break his maiden then head to Canterbury, where Brad Widdup as a Lonhro filly who looks ready to win, and Chris Waller gives an Australian debut to a promising New Zealand-bred filly.

Taupo Race 6, 3:29pm NZST, 1:29 pm AEST, LA - Oldest Family Stud Mdn, $10,000, 1100m

Kurt (NZ) (Kingman {GB}) made an impression as a 2-year-old, finishing close-up in two starts, including a 1.4l fifth in Listed company at Te Rapa back in May. He resumes here off a very impressive recent trial win and looks very well placed to break his maiden.

There aren't too many Kingman colts going around in New Zealand and this guy was passed in for $300,000 at the 2018 Karaka Sales and was retained to race by his breeder Kevin Hickman of Valachi Downs. His dam Miss Olive (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) was unraced and is a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winner Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo {NZ}).

Canterbury Race 2, 2pm AEST, Everest Carnival Hcp, $50,000, 1200m

There are some potential stakes quality fillies in this race, including Darling Point (Lonhro), who was simply brilliant when narrowly beaten on debut at this track back in June. She stormed home and just missed that day and looked very sharp in a recent barrier trial.

Bred and raced by Fairway Thoroughbreds, she is out of the Group 2 winning mare Empress Rock (Fastnet Rock). That's the family of Hong Kong champion Silent Witness (El Moxie {USA}) and the Group 2 winner Sister Madly (Redoute's Choice)

Canterbury Race 4, 3:10pm AEST, ANZ Bloodstock News Hcp, $50,000, 1200m

Subpoenaed (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) creates plenty of interest in this race having begun her career for Tony Pike in New Zealand where she won impressively on debut at Te Rapa back in April.

She was then purchased by a similar Australian syndicate to the one which bought subsequent Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), and like that filly, finds herself at Chris Waller's stable. She trialled well recently behind stakes-placed filly Villami (Foxwedge).

From a breeding perspective, she is out of a five-time winner in Notice Received (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), who is from the family of the smart Group 2 winning mare Apple Danish (Danehill {USA}).

Please contact olivia@tdnausnz.com.au if you would like your parade details listed here.

Announced New South Wales Stallion Parades

New South Wales Parades by appointment

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QLD Parades by appointment

Waikato Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s Stallion Weekend, New Zealand

We hope you enjoyed reading today's edition of TDN AusNZ. If you have any feedback or ideas, please don't hesitate to reach out.

TDN AusNZ Team & Contacts

President - Gary King | gary@tdnausnz.com.au

Managing Director - Vicky Leonard | vicky@tdnausnz.com.au

Editorial | editorial@tdnausnz.com.au

Bren O'Brien | bren@tdnausnz.com.au

Paul Vettise | paul@tdnausnz.com.au

Richard Edmunds

Advertising | advertising@tdnausnz.com.au

Content and Advertising Manager - Olivia Coates | olivia@tdnausnz.com.au

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Regular Columnists

John Boyce | John Berry | Jo McKinnon | Alan Carasso | Emma Berry | Rob Waterhouse | Anthony Manton | Trevor Marshallsea

Photography is largely supplied by The Image is Everything - Bronwen Healy and Darren Tindale, and complemented by Sportpix, Trish Dunell (NZ), Racing.com Photos and Western Racepix.