In a season that promises keen competition among a top-quality crop of 3-year-olds, North Pacific is among the front-runners following his impressive resuming run, but Farnan sounded an ominous reminder on Tuesday morning of his prospects.
The G1 Golden Slipper S. winner again displayed his trademark high cruising speed in his 1050 metre open heat under rider Hugh Bowman and proved far too slick, having 3.8l on stablemate and G1 Vinery Stud S. winner Shout The Bar (Not A Single Doubt) at the post.
Farnan, who was also untested to win his first trial on the Kensington track a fortnight ago, will reappear in the G2 Run To The Rose ahead of the G1 Golden Rose S.
“He’s a true professional and he was given a bit more of a test in his second trial and it was great to see the improvement and the way he responded when Hugh asked for an effort,” co-trainer Adrian Bott said.
“We expect him to improve further and are looking forward to getting him back to the races.”
“We expect him to improve further and are looking forward to getting him back to the races.” – Adrian Bott
Farnan displayed his versatility last season as far as underfoot conditions are concerned by winning all three of his runs on rain-affected ground and relished the Good 4 going on Tuesday.
“We haven’t seen him tested on a good track for quite a while. His races through the autumn were on softish tracks and while he got through them effectively, we always thought with his speed and lovely action he would be more effective on top of the ground,” Bott said.
Adrian Bott (left)
Farnan is an obvious source of interest as far as the $15 million The Everest goes and that topic has now become more relevant.
“We haven’t had that firm discussion yet with the ownership group, obviously there are two major targets coming up. I think now that this second trial is out of the way we can start to discuss those preparations in a bit more depth,” Bott said.
“The Golden Rose will be the point for us when we do decide exactly the path we want to take. Obviously, with the new ownership group and Kia Ora Stud buying into the horse, has opened up more possibilities as to what we might target.”
“The Golden Rose will be the point for us when we do decide exactly the path we want to take.” – Adrian Bott
Bott said Farnan’s regular rider Bowman was delighted with the 3-year-old’s progress.
“He didn’t have to say much, his expression said it all. He’s always had such high praise for the colt and his action and attitude. The trial field had a bit of depth to it so it was nice to see him win like he did.”
Third in the heat was Splintex (Snitzel), who closed out his last campaign with victory in the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint. He is likely to resume in the G3 Concorde S. with connections also keen to chase a berth in The Everest.
Next home was another of last season’s top colts in King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice) and he ran home well without being put under undue pressure.
King's Legacy when spelling at Kolora Lodge | Image courtesy of James Harron Bloodstock
Leaving a Legacy
He was ridden by Jason Collett, who will have the mount in the Run To The Rose with the colt’s Group 1-winning jockey Hugh Bowman to partner Farnan and James McDonald, who rode King’s Legacy in his first trial, to stay with North Pacific.
“I was really happy with his trial and they were probably a bit nippy for him, but he had a nice hitout and is going well leading into his first race,” Collett said.
“I was happy with his recovery rate and he should be nicely fit for his first-up run. They said he’s a bit of a dude around the stable with a swagger about him, his attitude is great.”
“They said he’s a bit of a dude around the stable with a swagger about him, his attitude is great.” – Jason Collett
Paul Snowden, who trains with his father Peter, was thrilled also with King’s Legacy’s effort.
“It was a really good trial. He possied up quite nicely in that third pair bracket and really stretched out well to the line and you could see past the line that he really built the revs up, so very happy,” he said.
“He’s coming along well and is certainly in good order for the Run To The Rose. He’s had plenty of work put into him and is certainly a bit different leading into the Slipper when he only had one trial and then onto the Sires' and the Champagne.
“He’s had a bit more work this time and he’ll go into the Golden Rose second-up and then we’ll determine where we go from there. He’s the type of horse that gives us the impression he will only get better and better.”
The sole 1200 metre heat of the morning was won off the front by Farnan’s stablemate Yardstick (Criterion {NZ}) from the G2 Peter Young S. winner Miss Sisska (So You Think {NZ}).
There was also considerable interest in the first Australian appearance of Hungarian Horse of the Year Nancho (Ger) (Tai Chi {Ger}), who won the G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern over 2400 metres at his last start in November.
He is now in the care of Anthony Cummings and was ridden by the Randwick trainer’s new stable jockey Regan Bayliss.
“I was quite happy with that first trial and it’s all new and exciting for him. With another trial and a few more gallops he’ll relax,” Bayliss said.
“He took a while to get balanced up and he was good through the line and had a good blow so he’ll keep improving.”
Sunny trial
Meanwhile at the Sunshine Coast, the G1 Australian Guineas winner Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) wasn’t pressured to finish runner-up in an open 850 metre trial on his home track.
Watch: Alligator Blood trial
The 4-year-old sat close to the pace and worked home under his own steam wide out on the track to get within half a-neck of a former stablemate Secret Spirit (Spirit Of Boom), who is now with Courtney Tyrell.
The David Vandyke-trained Alligator Blood is likely to resume on September 12 at Doomben and then head to Sydney for the Silver Eagle on October 10 and the Golden Eagle three weeks later.
The winner of nine of his 12 races and more than $1.7 million, Alligator Blood is also firmly in the mix to be picked up by an Everest slot holder.
