Written by Oz Wedmore
Deciduous became a first trial winner for Arrowfield Stud’s first-season sire The Autumn Sun at Gosford on Monday morning. Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the 2-year-old colt has shown early promise for his trainers for some time, and was building on a second-place finish in his initial Kensington hitout earlier this month.
Deciduous began quickly, charging into an early lead alongside the Gregory McFarlane-trained colt Whydubaime (Pride Of Dubai), with the pair quickly putting 4l into Godolphin’s duo of fillies, Juggle (Lonhro) and Reasoned (Kermadec {NZ}) - the former from the family of Sidestep.
Forfeiting his share of the lead marginally to Whydubaime when entering the home straight, Deciduous was pushed up under Tim Clark and responded well to pressure, coming home 0.65l the better of his rival.
In third, a further 2l away, was James Cummings’ Juggle, who was making up ground nicely towards the finish. Deciduous completed the 800-metre trial in 47.36s, covering the final 600 metres in 33.94s.
Giving his take on the first-season sires at Tulloch Lodge back in August, co-trainer Adrian Bott told TDN AusNZ: “He’s probably quite a forward colt, he was a Magic Millions purchase and he’s certainly been one of the more forward types that we’ve had through.”
Deciduous is out of Bollywood (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) and, whilst she was only placed in her Japan, the pedigree is littered with stakes winners. Bollywood is a three-quarter sister to Japanese Group 3 winner Fairy Polka (Jpn), and a half-sister to two further stakes winners.
Deciduous as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Picked up at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, he was a $475,000 buy for his trainers in conjunction with Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the draft of Arrowfield Stud, who will present a sister to Deciduous at the Gold Coast this January as Lot 673.
Graham finds the value
The second and final juvenile trial of the morning was won comfortably by the Jenny Graham-trained Shezajuke (Jukebox). It was a professional display from the 2-year-old filly, in her first public appearance.
As Epaulette filly Sneaky Won jumped into the lead, Shezajuke settled into an easy rhythm in third, at the heels of Godolphin colt Los Padres (Zoustar). With minimal urgings from Ashley Morgan, Shezajuke moved up confidently in the home straight to account for a pushed-along Sneaky Won by 1.51l, with Los Padres a nose behind.
In a notably slower time than the previous trial, Shezajuke finished in 48.81s, clocking 35.1s for the final 600 metres.
Shezajuke is out of the Sepoy mare Absolutlypositivly, whose four wins included two juveniles successes, and her second dam, Absolute Dream (Canny Lad), was Listed-placed. She was an Inglis Classic Yearling purchase for her trainer earlier this year, who went to $35,000 to secure her from the draft of Middlebrook Valley Lodge.
Shezajuke as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Standing at Aquis Farm for $6600 (inc GST) this year, second-season sire Jukebox’s first crop include Listed winner Johnny Rocker.
