Randwick focus

Two of New Zealand’s leading thoroughbred nurseries will be keeping close tabs on Randwick on Saturday where trainer John O’Shea will kick-off the spring preparations of their talented mares.

Group 1 performer Rondinella (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) will carry the colours of co-breeders and part-owners Haunui Bloodstock in the Spring Preview H.

“She has trialled well and she is going well, so I expect her to race well on Saturday,” O’Shea said. “Her main goal initially will be the G1 Metropolitan and beyond that we will see what comes.”

Earlier in the day in the Everest Carnival On Sale H., All Saints’ Eve (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}), will carry the silks of Waikato Stud’s Mark and Garry Chittick.

“All Saints’ Eve is a talented mare evidenced by her record. She looks to be well placed and has got a bright future,” he said. “We expect a pretty forward showing on Saturday.”

Pharoah filly takes Listed contest

Ninth on debut over 10 furlongs here on June 21, Pista (American Pharoah {USA}) took a major step forward when off the mark by 6.5l over a mile and a half in soft ground at the Galway festival on August 2, and carried over that momentum to register a first black-type success here.

Reserved in rear early off the honest tempo, the bay stayed on resolutely to overhaul Sunchart (Teofilo {Ire}) in the final yards as Ballydoyle’s G1 Irish Derby third Dawn Patrol (Galileo {Ire}) proved one-paced at the end. “She’s a big improver and showed a lovely attitude today,” jockey Shane Crosse said.

“She has a lovely way of going and the step up to a mile and six really helped her. Her stamina and class got her through the ground at Galway and this better surface suited her today. They went a good gallop and made it into a test, but she put her head down.”

Patience rewarded

The wait for Bermadez (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) proved worthwhile on Friday when he was a runaway winner on debut over 1250 metres.

Trained by Michael Moroney and ridden by Damien Oliver, the 4-year-old blazed clear in the straight to win the Elephant & Castle Hotel Plate by 5.25l.

Bermadez was purchased by the trainer’s brother Paul out of Inglewood Stud’s draft at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$280,000.

He is out of Pikea (Anabaa {USA}), who is a sister to the G2 Villiers S. winner Dances On Waves and a half-sister to the dam of multiple Group 1 winner and sire Preferment (NZ).

Streets ahead

A recent outing and a return to his favourite course and distance will favour Streets Of Avalon (Magnus) in the G2 PB Lawrence S.

He has four wins over 1400 metres at Caulfield to his credit and was runner-up in the G3 Bletchingly S. when opening his campaign.

Mornington trainer Shane Nichols is bullish about the chances of Streets Of Avalon, who will go on to contest the G1 Memsie S. and the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S.

New partnership

Gerald Ryan is to take his long-time assistant Sterling Alexiou in Sydney into a training partnership.

Alexiou has worked as Ryan's Rosehill foreman for the past eight years and has become an integral part of the team.

The partnership is set to become official once it receives formal ratification from Racing NSW in the coming days.

Filly trials well

The talented but temperamental See You Soon (Siyouni {Fr}) was on her best behaviour at Friday’s Randwick trials, much to the relief of trainer Jean Dubois.

The filly was scratched before her heat last week after failing to load, but second time around she displayed no such irritability. She settled in the back half of the field and made ground well under a hold to finish fifth.

“It’s been a bit stressful, but everything went well and it was a very good trial, she finished off strongly,” Dubois said.

See You Soon was a debut winner last season and also placed at Group 2 level in the Reisling S. and the Percy Sykes S.

Gear addition

A gear addition will be made when Kisukano (Bel Esprit) runs in the TAB Long May We Play H. at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

A stallion chain will be used on the filly in an effort to improve her barrier manners.

Kisukano held up the start for nearly 10 minutes before she won at the Sunshine Coast on July 11 and was again reluctant to go into the stalls before she ran third at Doomben.

Stewards told trainer Michael Nolan she would have to pass a barrier test before being allowed to race again. She failed in her first try a fortnight ago at Toowoomba, but a return there on Tuesday proved successful and was cleared for a start at Eagle Farm.

Happy Cup hope

Happy Star (NZ) (Fabulous {NZ}) will be vying to keep his undefeated record intact this preparation when he contests the G3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup at Riccarton Park on Saturday.

The Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard-trained 5-year-old has won both of his starts this time in and they are hoping he can continue his picket fence form line this weekend.

“He’s been going super,” Benner said. “He has done nothing wrong this whole preparation, he has won two trials and two races. He has travelled down really well. He is a very sensible horse and takes everything in very easily.

“He has been pretty much set for this race and I am pretty happy with him. The wide barrier is my biggest concern, I am not worried about a dead track, he is fine on that.”