Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Greece, who at $1.2 million was the most expensive filly purchased at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, was making her first trial appearance for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and did not disappoint, jumping to the front and never being headed, with James McDonald motionless in the saddle.
She clocked 55.61s for the 900 metres, coming home her final 600 metres in a comfortable 35.46s, defeating the Annabel Neasham-trained Bohemian Daisy (Hellbent) and Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou's Our Lady Stardust (Rubick).
It was Kia Ora Stud that offered the filly at the Gold Coast last year and it remains in the ownership along with Coolmore, Nxt Level Syndications and the McMahon family.
Greece | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Her trial appearance comes just over three years since Loving Gaby made a winning debut in the G3 Chairman's S. for the same stable, beginning a career which would see her win both a G1 Manikato S. and G1 William Reid S.
Ryan and Alexiou 2-year-olds shine
Ryan and Alexiou trained the two other million-dollar juvenile trial winners in Psychiatrist (Exceed And Excel) and Brosnan (Snitzel).
Psychiatrist, who was well-supported but well-beaten in the G3 Breeders' Plate in the spring, was having his second trial of the campaign, having been edged out by the highly rated Metallicity (Zoustar) last start a couple of weeks ago.
Psychiatrist | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
He looked very professional on Thursday, riding the speed outside of the early leader and then kicking clear to beat Conqueror (Churchill {Ire}) by 0.75l, with Master Showman (Snitzel), the brother to Trapeze Artist, in third.
Tony Fung Investments paid $1.05 million for Psychiatrist from the Vinery Stud draft at last year's Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. He is out of Lonhro mare Sanity, the sister to stakes winner Trim out of the family of Group 1 winner Gatting (Hard Spun {USA}).
Snitzel colt Brosnan, who cost Kitchwin Hills $1.05 million through the Newhaven Park draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, looks ready to hit the track, breaking through for a trial win at his fourth attempt.
Gallery: The million-dollar 2-year-old trial winners as yearlings
Recording the fastest time of the four 900 metre 2-year-old trials (54.81s), the powerful grey camped just behind the leaders and, given a push along by Brenton Avdulla, won by 1.15l from stablemate Mayhem (Russian Revolution), and the Maher-Eustace-trained Citizenship (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}).
Brosnan is out of stakes-placed Domesday mare Supara and is raced by a syndicate which includes Neil Werrett, Colin and Janine Madden, Gilgai Farm and his breeders at Newhaven Park.
The other 900 metre 2-year-old heat was won by Team Hawkes-trained and Bon Ho-owned filly Dashing Legend (Snitzel), who lived up to her name with a slick 2l victory over the Chris Waller filly I Am Real (I Am Invincible) and the Bjorn Baker-prepared Territories (Ire) filly We Don’t Roam.
Gallery: Some of the triallers at Rosehill, images courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Earlier, the 1030-metre 2-year-old trial was won by the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Merchant Navy colt Standing Order. He too looks ready for raceday, ambling away in the B2B Thoroughbreds colours to win by 3.4l, from stablemate Ironbark Artie (Flying Artie), with another 1.7l to Pathos (Adelaide {Ire}), for Neasham, in third.
Standing Order was a $500,000 purchase at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and is the first foal from Group 3 winner Brugal Reward (Reward For Effort).
