By Bren O'Brien
Coastwatch (Fastnet Rock), the 2-year-old half-brother to G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Mighty Boss (Not A Single Doubt), has impressed at his first public appearance, winning a trial at Warwick Farm.
Trained by Chris Waller, Coastwatch showed a good degree of professionalism in railing well and under a hold from his jockey Kathy O'Hara was allowed to cruise to the line, holding off the late challenge from Converge (Frankel {GB}).
The winner was a $750,000 purchase for Guy Mulcaster at this year's Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Among his owners are his breeders at Coolmore as well as Westerberg, Sir Peter Vela, Debbie Kepitis' Woppitt Bloodstock and Peachester Lodge.
His dam, Bullion Mansion (Encosta De Lago), has produced four winners from five to the track, including Mighty Boss and the stakes-placed Shiralee (Stratum) and is out of Group 1 winner La Volta (Laranto).
The second-placed Converge is trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott for the co-trainer's father Tony Bott's Evergreen Stud.
The third-placed Don’t Hesitate (Snitzel) is also trained by Waterhouse and Bott and was a $440,000 purchase by Newgate and China Horse Club at the 2020 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. His dam, Nayeli (More Than Ready {USA}), was a multiple stakes winner for Waterhouse.
The colts and geldings' trial over the 803 metres was run in 47.77s, 0.4s slower than Princess Spice (Sooboog) ran in winning an earlier 2-year-old fillies' trial.
The Tash Burleigh-trained filly was the first trial winner for the Kitchwin Hills-based sire, who has only had one runner to the track from his first crop as yet.
Ridden by Shaun Guymer, Princess Spice, a homebred filly out of Sydney winner Princess Ailani (Myboycharlie {Ire}), showed plenty of pace and fight, leading early and then seeing off her rivals to win narrowly from the Bjorn Baker-trained Hide Your Heart (Sebring).
Hide Your Heart, a $250,000 buy for Darby Racing/de Burgh Equine at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, is out of the stakes-placed mare Cautious (Lonhro) and was having her third trial.
Third was the Waterhouse and Bott-trained Jervis Bay (Written Tycoon), the half-sister to Group 1 winner and Rosemont stallion Starspangledbanner who cost $400,000 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. She was making her first public appearance for her owners at Sun Stud.
The slowest of the 2-year-old trials was taken out by the Gary Portelli-trained filly Contentedly (More Than Ready {USA}) in 48.37s.
Ridden by Louise Day, Contentedly jumped well, sat on the pace and gave a good kick to win narrowly from the Matthew Smith-trained Festival Dancer (Choisir).
The winning filly was a $170,000 Inglis Easter Sale buy for Hall Of Fame Bloodstock from the Vinery Stud draft and is out of the Group 2 placegetter Tale Of Choice (Redoute's Choice).
Festival Dancer showed substantial improvement from her first trial last month. She was a $33,000 buy for Smith at the Inglis Classic Sale out of stakes-placed Festival Princess (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}), who has already produced winners in La Festiva (Fastnet Rock) and Bishop Rock (Fastnet Rock).
Another Choisir filly, the Gary Nickson-trained Facetime, finished third.
