Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Written by Paul Vettise
The well-related Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) will be out to further boost his stallion profile in the spring and he took impressive steps toward that end goal when he won his heat during Friday morning’s Rosehill trials.
The Chris Waller-trained colt showed rich promise during a light 2-year-old campaign and finished a debut second in the G3 Canonbury S. before winning the G2 Silver Slipper S.
Home Affairs subsequently finished a close third in the G2 Todman S. and was given a deserved break following his eighth placing in the G1 Golden Slipper S.
He cleared the gates quickly to make the running in his 900-metre heat and coasted to the line under his own steam to account for stablemates Dancing Willoughby (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Shaquero (Shalaa {Ire}).
“He really couldn’t have trialled any better. He was always a bit keen, but he relaxed well in that trial and he’s obviously got major Group 1 targets in the spring,” Waller’s Racing Manager Charlie Duckworth said.
“The Golden Rose is a stallion-making race that everyone pins their hopes on. Then the Caulfield Guineas is on the radar, but if he’s got enough speed he could drop back to the Coolmore.
“There are plenty of options, that’s for sure, and he’ll have another trial before he gets back to the races.”
Group 1 pedigree
A half-brother to this season’s G1 Caulfield Guineas runner-up Aysar (Deep Field), Home Affairs is out of Miss Interiors (Flying Spur) who is a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner and sire Russian Revolution.
He was bred by Torryburn Stud and sold at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale to the $875,000 bid of Coolmore’s Tom Magnier.
Home Affairs as a yearling
Coolmore also shares in the ownership of Home Affairs’ well-bred stablemate Coodarady (Capitalist), who in his first appearance won his 1030-metres trial.
“He’s taken plenty of time to get his mind on the job. He’s focused now and jumped out and showed good natural speed to put himself right in the trial,” Duckworth said.
“He wasn’t knocked around by any stretch of the imagination and will come on enormously for this morning’s work-out. He will more than likely have one more trial and then head to the races, he’s obviously got plenty of talent.”
Charlie Duckworth
Coodarady was bought out of Mill Park Stud’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale draft by Magnier for $380,000 and is a half-brother to the G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Booker (Written Tycoon). She was also secured by Coolmore for $1.6 million at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale where she was offered by Yarran Thoroughbreds.
Another Waller youngster who has taken time to develop is Turgenev (I Am Invincible), also raced by Coolmore with partners, and he won his 1030-metre heat. The juvenile has had two outings and was a last-start fourth at Canterbury Park.
“He’s in a similar mould to Coodarady and they’ve had a few preps in the stable and the penny is really starting to drop with them now,” Duckworth said.
“Having the heats today with only five or six runners, there wasn’t as much pressure and allows them to do everything right and it was a nice educational experience for them.”
Turgenev was bred by Yulong and a $500,000 buy with Colm Santry signing the ticket at the Inglis Easter Sale Round 2. He is a son of the G2 Moonee Valley Fillies’ Classic winner Gypsy Diamond (Not A Single Doubt) and from the family of this season’s G3 Maribyrnong Plate winner Finance Tycoon (Written Tycoon).
Turgenev as a yearling
