Written by Paul Vettise
High-priced youngster Ghostwriter (I Am Invincible) made a good impression in his first public outing when he was successful at the Rosehill trials on Friday morning.
He was one of three 2-year-olds from Annabel Neasham’s stable in action with Royal Shakespeare (Snitzel) and Pippa Charlotte (Not A Single Doubt) and they also pleased their Warwick Farm trainer with the trio all in the Aquis colours.
Ghostwriter was ridden by James McDonald and they led all the way to claim the 742 metre trial for the males by 0.5l from Lease (Choisir), Hardware Lane (Scissor Kick) and Royal Shakespeare.
“He was an expensive horse and I’m not surprised because he’s a very good-looking horse. He’s been up at the farm with Kacy Fogden and she’s done a really good job educating him,” Neasham said.
“He’s got a lot of improvement left in him and he looks like he’ll hopefully be a pre-Christmas runner.”
“He’s got a lot of improvement left in him and he looks like he’ll hopefully be a pre-Christmas runner.” – Annabel Neasham
Ghostwriter was purchased out of Rosemont Stud’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $975,000. He is a half-brother to two winners with their dam Heavenly Sound (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}).
She is a daughter of Helena Molony (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}), a stakes-performed sister to the multiple Group 1 winner and champion sire High Chaparral (Ire).
Ghostwriter as a yearling
Royal Shakespeare was a $250,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale buy for Aquis out of Sun Stud’s draft and is a son of the dual Group 3 winner Madam Gangster (Al Maher). She is out of a three-quarter sister to the dual Group 1 winner and sire Grand Lodge (USA).
“I really like the horse and Tommy (Berry) was quite soft on him late and if he comes through that trial well he’ll trial again in a fortnight,” Neasham said.
“He’s a beautiful horse with a good action and very professional. That’s the most work he’s done, they’re not wound up at all yet and will improve.”
“He’s a beautiful horse with a good action and very professional.” – Annabel Neasham
In the fillies’ heat, Pippa Charlotte finished runner-up to the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Emerald Bay (Not A Single Doubt), an Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale graduate.
Offered by Segenhoe, Sun Stud paid $210,000 for the sister to stablemate Shout The Bar, winner of last season’s G1 Vinery Stud S.
Pippa Charlotte was another Segenhoe-consigned youngster and was knocked down to Aquis for $580,000 at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She is out of the 2-year-old winner and stakes-placed Elusive Quality (USA) mare Elusive Wonder, dam of the G2 Percy Sykes S. winner and G1 Golden Slipper runner-up Away Game (Snitzel).
“She’s a real sweetie and it remains to be seen whether she’s as fast and as good, but she’s got a lot of similar characteristics to Away Game,” Neasham said. “She’s a really tough filly and we’ll see how she comes through and may trial again in a fortnight.”
Among the older horses, none impressed more than the three-time Group 1 winner Fierce Impact (Jpn)(Deep Impact {Jpn}), who won the opening trial of the morning over 1200 metres.
He sat back before circling runners near the turn for rider Jason Collett and romped away in the straight to beat Montserrat (Not A Single Doubt) by 4.3l.
The last-start G1 Makybe Diva S. winner is on a path to the G1 Cox Plate and is likely to run next in the G1 Turnbull S. over 2000 metres at Flemington on October 3.
