Freshman sires Extreme Choice and Maurice (Jpn) were represented by a winning double when the first 2-year-old heats of the season were staged during Tuesday’s trials at Randwick.
A pair of juveniles from Lee Curtis’ Rosehill stable showed plenty of dash in their respective heats over 735 metres with Avaricious (Extreme Choice) bettering the time posted by I Love Lucy (Maurice {Jpn}).
Bred by the China Horse Club, Avaricious was purchased out of Sledmere Stud’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $200,000 by part-owner Mystery Downs and John Foote Bloodstock.
Avaricious as a yearling
She is a half-sister to last season’s 2-year-old winner Cultural Amnesia (Snitzel) and their dam Zenon (Super Saver {USA}) is a half-sister to the Listed Ken Memorial Classic winner I Have No Fear (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}).
Ridden by Jay Ford, Avaricious was in the hunt all the way and drew out in the closing stages to have 1.8l on Bjorn Baker’s Maurice’s Medad (Maurice {Jpn}), a $250,000 Magic Millions buy for Baker and Clarke Bloodstock out of Vinery Stud’s consignment.
He was bred by Tony Muollo and is out of Presslist (Librettist {USA}), a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner and sire Press Statement.
Watch: Avaricious' trial
Filly wins off front
I Love Lucy was also partnered by Ford and she mustered speed quickly from the inside gate to lead and held Little Miss Magic (Written Tycoon) at bay to score by 0.8l.
The filly was bred by Arrowfield Stud, who remained in the ownership following her sale at the Magic Millions to Curtis for $150,000.
The filly is out of the unraced Flying Spur mare Lustrous and a half-sister to the Listed Karaka Million placegetter Silk Pin (NZ) (Pins) and to the dam of G2 Moonee Valley Fillies’ Classic winner Gypsy Diamond (Not A Single Doubt), who also ran second in the G1 Queen of the Turf S.
The runner-up, Little Miss Magic, was another Baker and Clarke purchase at the Gold Coast, where she was offered by Woodside Park Stud and sold for $160,000. She is a grand-daughter of the G1 Railway S. winner Covertly (Metal Storm {Fr}).
Watch: I Love Lucy trial
Bivouac in a breeze
A more furnished and powerful version of Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) took another step toward opening his 4-year-old season with a dashing win in an open 1050 metre heat.
The James Cummings-trained dual Group 1 winner is the firm front-runner to secure the Godolphin slot for the $15 million The Everest and a strong first-up performance will likely confirm his spot in the October 17 feature.
Bivouac stamped himself as a top-class colt last season with victories in the G1 Golden Rose S. and against the older horses in the G1 Newmarket H.
He has won both of his trials this time around and on Tuesday cruised along at the head of affairs for rider Hugh Bowman and zipped clear to beat the G2 Sheraco S. winner Mizzy (Zoustar) by 2l.
“He’ll start off in the G2 The Shorts on Saturday week and then the team will make a decision where he goes and what he does,” stable representative Darren Beadman said.
“I think he’s much stronger than last prep and you can pretty much say he was like a teenager and he’s turned into a young man with that bit of time off during the winter.
“He had one trial previously at Hawkesbury and had a nice blow and his recovery was better today.”
“He had one trial previously at Hawkesbury and had a nice blow and his recovery was better today.” – Darren Beadman
Beadman said Bivouac had received another glowing report following his trial from Bowman.
“When Hughie drops the word superb you know they go all right, he doesn’t use it often. It was all positive and they went quite steadily in the trial and kept him in his rhythm and let him do a bit of work to the line.
“He needed that, but he’s got a week and a-half to get over that and James will keep him ticking along. When you see horses like him step off a float in the morning at the trials it makes the day very, very easy.”
Anthony Cummings’ Mizzy showed she was ready to resume with a strong showing for second with stablemate Libertini (I Am Invincible) finishing third. The Chris Waller-trained multiple Group 1 placegetter Star Of The Seas (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) also ran on well under his own steam for fourth.
Star Of The Seas (NZ)
Clipperton impressed
Star Of The Seas gave a bold account when resuming with his effort for second in the G1 Winx S. for rider Sam Clipperton, who was aboard the 6-year-old in the trial.
“He trialled super and when Bivouac sprinted my bloke went through his gears, I’m really looking forward to what’s ahead. He’s reached full maturity and is in a great frame of mind,” he said.
“From what I know, he’s headed to the G1 George Main S. and then into the G1 Epsom H. They are two very suitable races and I would imagine he will take some beating.”
Group 1 winner Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) settled at the tail and ran on under no finish to beat a couple home, but impressed rider Kerrin McEvoy in the process.
“She was out there for a routine trial and felt great. It’s full steam ahead to the G1 Epsom H. There are exciting things to come as she’s not screwed down yet,” he said.
Probabeel was an unlucky second when narrowly beaten first-up in the G3 Show County.
