Written by Jessica Owers
Tuesday morning dawned wet and brutal once again for race clubs up and down the eastern seaboard, with meetings at Gosford, Benalla and Beaudesert either postponed or abandoned. It prompted the rare situation of no thoroughbreds racing anywhere in Australia on Tuesday, so more eyes than usual were cast over the trials at Warwick Farm.
There were eight heats spread across the duration of the morning, all occurring on the weather resistant Polytrack surface. Much interest lay with the three 2-year-old trials, which occurred mid-morning and exhumed a number of interesting juveniles.
Blackbook Bahama
Kathy O’Hara was first off the mark with the babies, winning Heat 4 aboard bay gelding Bowie Of Dubai (Pride Of Dubai). Over 740 metres, the 2-Year-Old Open Trial featured two Godolphin youngsters by Epaulette and Teofilo (Ire), along with Maurice (Jpn) gelding Clyde.
Kembla Grange-trained Bowie Of Dubai, who was stepping out in racecourse conditions for the first time, clung to the rail from an inside draw and finished off with relative ease for O’Hara at 1.3l ahead.
Bowie Of Dubai as a weanling
Bowie Of Dubai, trained by Robert and Luke Price, is the second foal from Denman mare Vintage Valley, who was lightly raced for trainer Peter Moody in a four-start career. She was a $60,000 broodmare purchase for JR Thoroughbreds and Bluegrass Bloodstock, with Bowie Of Dubai selling as an Inglis weanling in 2019 for $13,000.
However, the Hawkes-trained Bahama (Redoute’s Choice) was the black-booker of the trial, looming up the inside in the final stretch of the race after sitting midfield most of the way. It was a confident finish for second by the filly, who was a $250,000 Inglis Australian Easter yearling in 2020, sold by Kia Ora Stud to Matrix Bloodstock.
From the Hennessy (USA) mare Dream Play (USA), Bahama is a half-sister to G2 VRC Sires’ Produce winner Zululand (Fastnet Rock). Dream Play has a half-brother to Bahama and Zululand selling from Kia Ora at Easter, Lot 283 by Written Tycoon.
Bahama as a yearling
Reigning in the wet
The Gary Portelli-trained Capital Reign (Capitalist) was strongest to the line in the second 2-year-old heat, which occurred with a field of eight.
Capital Reign sat off the fence and was mildly shuffled along in the straight by jockey Tom Sherry, winning comfortably by 2l to Godolphin filly Steelsheen (Kermadec {NZ}), with Miss Adrenalin (Testa Rossa) almost the same distance behind. Grey filly Graphite Mist, the second of the Capitalists in the field, took a stumble out of the gates and was last early, but rattled home well for a notable fourth.
Today’s trial appearance was only the second for Capital Reign, who races in the colours of Elite Thoroughbreds and whose only previous appearance was at a trial on this track last November. The filly is the first foal from stakes-winning mare Elle Lou (Snitzel), who won the G3 Aspiration Quality H. in 2017.
Capital Reign was sold at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by Newgate Farm for $30,000, a handy pick-up for Elite Thoroughbreds if Tuesday’s trial form continues.
Capital Reign as a yearling
Yulong pedigree to the fore
The final 2-year-old event was an Open Trial for colts and geldings, with a small field of just five. Chris Waller-trained Turgenev (I Am Invincible) proved an experienced force, finishing the better of Subterranean (Rebel Dane) and Maurice’s Choice (Maurice {Jpn}).
He was pushed along by jockey James McDonald in the straight, and sprinted clear in the final bit. Tuesday’s result was the colt’s third trial, with previous outings seeing him third and second respectively.
Turgenev is the third foal from Yulong mare Gypsy Diamond (Not A Single Doubt). She was an excellent filly in her race career, a three-time Group winner that included the G2 Moonee Valley Classic, G3 Carbine Club S. and G3 JRA Plate.
Gypsy Diamond has a Lonhro half-brother to Turgenev heading to the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale (Lot 325). He is one of 13 yearlings in Yulong’s strong draft of 13.
Turgenev as a yearling
