Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Written by Bren O'Brien
R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Shaquero (Shalaa {Ire}) remains right on track for the feature 2-year-old races of the Sydney autumn after winning a star-studded trial at Rosehill on Thursday.
Making his first public appearance since his dominant win on the Gold Coast, the Chris Waller-trained Shaquero flew out of the barrier before James McDonald allowed him to settle, conceding the lead while retaining the rail.
He then kicked through along the inside to get past stablemate Gulf Of Aden (Exceed And Excel) and then hold off the fast-finishing Remarque (Snitzel), who impressed when running on from the back of the field.
The Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Tiger Of Malay (Extreme Choice), who won the Kirkham Plate at his only start in the spring, also finished well to claim third, just ahead of the unraced Gulf Of Aden.
The Team Hawkes-trained Remarque, the full brother to G1 Golden Slipper S., winner Estijaab and a winner of his only start at Rosehill last month, is currently third favourite for this year's Golden Slipper at $11, while Shaquero is $15.
McDonald said Shaquero remained the ultimate professional to ride when it came to the 2-year-olds.
"Shaquero went really well. He's a very professional, easy-going, laid back customer and nothing really fazes him," McDonald told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
"He came out like a startled rabbit. It was really good. He was straight into gear. But he has been that ultimate professional from the very first time he trialled. He's a lovely horse."
"He (Shaquero) has been that ultimate professional from the very first time he trialled. He's a lovely horse." - James McDonald
The heat wasn't without drama, with the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Forbes (Capitalist) being scratched at the barrier after becoming cast. That followed a substantial delay after another runner was reshod.
Sam Freedman tried to convince stewards to give Forbes, whose lone start to date was a second in the Listed Merson Cooper S., a chance in one of the other trials, but stewards decided that given he was difficult to load, fractious in the gate and then became cast, it was in the horse's best interest not to run.
The colt, a $750,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for James Harron, was set to resume in the G2 Silver Slipper S. at Rosehill on Saturday week, but those plans may now be in doubt.
Forbes as a yearling
The fastest 900 metre 2-year-old trial of the morning was won by the unraced Team Hawkes-trained gelding Clemenceau (Capitalist), who ran 54.10s, 0.20s quicker than Shaquero.
Racing in the colours of Alan Bell, Clemenceau, who was a $250,000 buy for Hawkes Racing at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, set a solid pace and was able to hold off Direct (Siyouni {Fr}) on the line by 0.4l, with another 5l back to Turgenev (I Am Invincible) in third.
The third of the colts and geldings' trials was won in a bunched finish by Sir Crackle (Choisir), with the Bjorn Baker-trained gelding making his first public appearance and running a comparatively slow 55.29s. John O'Shea's Jal Lei (Sebring) and Waller's Arnold (Hinchinbrook) finished within 1l of the winner.
Filly moves ahead towards Slipper
The John Sargent-trained 2-year-old filly Four Moves Ahead (Snitzel) impressed in her first hitout since her debut win at Randwick early in January. She controlled the tempo and won pretty much untouched in a time of 54.87s, defeating Prasiolite (Written Tycoon) by a narrow margin.
"She had that bit of a hiccup with a bit of a cold, but we ticked her over quietly, and didn't gallop her for a couple of weeks after that and she had a good blow out today and she's on track now for the Silver Slipper," Sargent said.
"From there we will go to the Reisling and the Slipper if she makes it that far."
The other 2-year-old fillies' heat was taken out by the Matthew Dunn-prepared Tattletale (Spill The Beans), who ran her rivals ragged to win by 4.3l in 54.43s, ahead of the Lee and Cherie Curtis-trained Superbellagante (Super One), with She's All Class (I Am Invincible), who was third in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Waller duo shine
The most impressive of the older winners was the very promising Waller-trained 3-year-old Vowmaster (Written Tycoon). A winner of both his starts in Victoria last spring, he waltzed clear to win his trial on Thursday by 6l, in the fastest 900 metre time of the morning (53.79s).
Stablemate Haut Brion Her (Zoustar), fifth in The Everest last spring, made her first public appearance in the autumn and was almost as impressive, surging to the lead, handing it up to Group 2-winning sprinter Dirty Work (Written Tycoon) and then fighting her way past him again last to stop the clock at 53.91s. It was the fastest last 600 metre sectional of the morning, in 33.91s.
Eduardo (Host {Chi}), who also contested The Everest, also looked sharp in winning his trial by 0.8l over Bottega (Snitzel) in a time of 54.16s.
Earlier, in the 1030 metre trial, dual Group 1 winner King's Legacy (Redoute's Choice) impressed in winning in a major step forward to the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt ahead of his autumn campaign.
