Written by Jessica Owers
Rosehill hosted an interesting 2-year-old trial on Tuesday morning, an open event over 900 metres on a Good 4. There were six juveniles to fill the field, and it was won by the Shalaa (Ire) filly Atoine for trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou.
Atoine, ridden by Qin Yong, led home the Snitzel colt Magic by a short 0.08l margin, and this horse also presented as an interesting candidate.
Magic is the second foal from the G1 Australian Oaks winner Rising Romance (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}), and as such he is a full brother to the promising Arrowfield 3-year-old filly Yearning.
Magic was sold to the Hawkes training team at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, fetching a Sale-topping $2.5 million. Atoine realised $230,000 at this year’s Inglis Classic Sale when sold by Burke Bloodstock. She was bought by David Raphael and Gerald Ryan.
“She was a beautiful-moving filly as a yearling,” Raphael said. “She picked herself as one to want with her action. Gerald and Sterling thought she was a lovely filly from the first time they saw her, and I must have learned something from Gerald because he priced her but I didn’t listen to him. I went one more bid to get her for a really good group of owners.”
“She (Atoine) was a beautiful-moving filly as a yearling. She picked herself as one to want with her action." - David Raphael
Atoine is the first surviving foal from the broodmare Saturday Affair (Any Given Saturday {USA}), who was a seven-time winner across an extensive 51-race career.
It’s the family of the Group-placed Pentire (GB) mare Little Miss Quick (NZ), who was second in the G3 Matriarch S. and G3 Coongy H.
Constitution tests
Atoine broke from barrier five in Tuesday’s trial to take up the early running. She took a sit shortly after, allowing Magic and Not A Single Doubt colt Shirvo to come alongside.
In the straight, Atoine and Magic galloped together, with Field Commander (Epaulette) attempting a run on the rails. Magic was briefly in front, but Atoine poked her nose ahead and they passed the post in that order. Stablemate Brosnan (Snitzel) was 0.22l to third.
Atoine as a yearling
The 900 metres was ticked off in 56.20s, the last 600 metres in 35.65s.
“This is a nice filly," Ryan said, speaking to TDN AusNZ. “I’ve got a lot of time for her. She’s very athletic and we loved her at the sales. She had a great attitude then and she’s maintained it all the way through.”
"She (Atoine) had a great attitude then and she’s maintained it all the way through.” - Gerald Ryan
Ryan is a fan of bringing on these young horses in trial environments. Tuesday’s event was Atoine’s first outing in silks.
“I think they need the experience,” Ryan said. “I trial a lot and don’t race them, and it just toughens them up and gives you an idea of what their constitution is.”
The trainer was pleased with how his filly stood up to the $2.5 million Sale-topping Magic, saying she more than held her own. Even so, Ryan said she’d be better as she got older.
“She’s tallish and rangy with good length about her, and gives the impression that whatever she does, she’ll get better as she gets older, even though I hate that cliché,” he said. “I would expect her to nearly run 1600 metres later on. I just hope this time next year we’re getting her ready for the Flight S.”
"I just hope this time next year we’re getting her (Atoine) ready for the Flight S.” - Gerald Ryan
Ryan said Atoine may have another run before a rest this preparation.
“She’ll probably have one more run before going to the paddock, and that will either be in a Hawkesbury maiden or the Victory Vein,” he said. “We’ll see how she does in the meantime.”
The Victory Vein Plate will occur at Randwick on Everest Day, Saturday, October 16. It was won last year on debut by the Capitalist colt Captivant, a later winner of the G1 Champagne S.
Queensland juvenile trials
At Doomben, four 2-year-old trials occurred across Tuesday morning for the fillies, colts and geldings.
Merrily (Astern), who had won her debut trial a fortnight ago on the same track, once again scored in her event for trainers Steven O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted, and it was a resounding win. The filly scored by 4.25l to Tyresa (Written Tycoon), with third-placed Yankee River (Better Than Ready) 5.75l back.
Steven O'Dea
Exo Lady (Exosphere) also won her trial for trainer Desleigh Forster, holding Alert State (Defcon) at bay by 0.75l and Extreme Belief (Extreme Choice) by 2l. It was Exo Lady’s first official outing.
Among the colts, Palazzo Spirit (Spirit Of Boom) won his second overall trial when defeating Heroic Son (Heroic Valour) by 3l, with Roll Up (Zoustar) third.
The final juvenile trial of the morning saw Better Than Ready colt Primed For Victory lead home Prince Shalaa (Shalaa {Ire}) and Astern colt Hang Five by 1.25l and 2.75l respectively.
