Written by Jessica Owers
Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Rosehill Gardens on Tuesday morning hosted a full deck of trials, and of the six juvenile events among them, two proved very good results for two very good families at Segenhoe Stud.
The first occurred in Heat 6 when the James Harron colt Andronicus, a son of I Am Invincible from Fireworks (Snitzel), posted a 1.15l victory for Peter and Paul Snowden. The other occurred in Heat 9 when Joliestar, a filly by Zoustar from Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock), won by 0.11l for Chris Waller and Cambridge Stud.
Heat 6: Andronicus (I Am Invincible x Fireworks)
Two-year-old Andronicus was having his first appearance in silks when he stepped out in this open trial over 900 metres. Ridden by Brett Prebble, he led home the Deep Field colt Luna Field and stablemate Virtual Legend, also by Deep Field.
Andronicus as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The final time for the trial was 54.61s, the last 600 metres in 35.02s, and it proved the fastest of the morning’s juvenile trials on the Good 4.
Andronicus is raced by the James Harron Bloodstock Colts partnership, which bought him at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Consigned by Segenhoe Stud, he was Lot 169, selling to Harron for $1.35 million.
Andronicus was bred by John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds from an entrenched Fairway family. Fireworks is a daughter of the Varick (USA) mare Calvinia, the dam of stakes winners Calveen (NZ) (Canny Lad), Kosi Bay (Spinning World {USA}) and Striker (Van Nistelrooy {USA}), the latter the dam of Western Australian Oaks winner First Impressions (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}).
Fireworks when racing | Image courtesy of Sportpix
There is so much depth to this family through such horses as Stellar Vinia (Redoute’s Choice), the dam of the South African Group winner Ektifaa (More Than Ready {USA}).
Fireworks, herself, was bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds in 2012. She was a lightning-quick filly, winning the G3 Widden S. and running third in the G2 Reisling S. Her most recent foal before Andronicus was the stakes-winning Millane (Zoustar), who himself was a $1.15 million Inglis Easter yearling in 2021 when bought by Moody Racing, Rosemont Victorian Alliance and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA).
“Andronicus was a magnificent colt,” said Peter O’Brien, general manager of Segenhoe Stud. “He made a lot of money as a yearling, and he didn’t get the name Andronicus for nothing. He’s a beautiful horse but he is very big, so James Harron and the Snowdens have given him time. They know he has a big engine and he’s a highly promising horse.”
“He (Andronicus) made a lot of money as a yearling, and he didn’t get the name Andronicus for nothing. He’s a beautiful horse but he is very big, so James Harron and the Snowdens have given him time. They know he has a big engine and he’s a highly promising horse.” - Peter O'Brien
The colt was one of 24 youngsters that O’Brien sent to Inglis Easter last year. It was a formidable draft, with Andronicus topping the list at $1.35 million, followed by Joliestar at $950,000, incidentally.
O’Brien said Camilleri has a lot of faith in Fireworks, which is obvious given the mare is currently in Europe with a filly at foot by Frankel (GB) and she's back in foal to that stallion.
“John obviously bred and raced her, and she had a brilliant amount of speed,” O’Brien said. “Fireworks was a very early 2-year-old, and she’s already thrown a stakes winner very early in her career. John wanted to give her every chance, thus why she went up to Frankel and she’ll visit No Nay Never next.”
Peter O'Brien | Image courtesy of Inglis
Fireworks will stay in the Northern Hemisphere for the meanwhile. Her first Frankel filly is likely to come down to Segenhoe in September as a yearling, and Fireworks will then return in January with a Southern Hemisphere-time Frankel foal and a cover to No Nay Never (USA).
“John always keeps an open mind, but the first Frankel yearling will likely be retained to race,” O’Brien said. “It’s been a lovely family. The feedback from Brett Prebble on Andronicus this morning (Tuesday) was that he gave him a huge feel. He thought he had a big engine and that it’s all ahead of him.”
Heat 9: Joliestar (Zoustar x Jolie Bay)
Two-year-old Joliestar was the second point of interest for O’Brien on Tuesday morning. Like Andronicus, this filly hails from a smart, generations-old family at Segenhoe Stud.
By Zoustar from Jolie Bay, herself a daughter of the brilliant producer Legally Bay (Snippets), Joliestar was bred by Segenhoe clients Chris and Jane Barham.
Joliestar as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
This family has plenty of decoration too. Jolie Bay won the G2 Roman Consul S. and was second in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. She is a full sister to the dual-Hemisphere Group 1 winner Merchant Navy, as well as the stakes winner Setanta (Fastnet Rock) and stakes-placed Zara Bay (Fastnet Rock).
Joliestar is the fifth foal from Jolie Bay. She is a half-sister to the Group 2-placed God Of Thunder (More Than Ready {USA}), as well as Emperor (I Am Invincible), who was third in the G3 Breeders’ Plate on debut behind Sejardan (Sebring).
Emperor subsequently fractured his pelvis in the R. Listed Inglis Millennium and wasn’t seen again until last month, but trainer Matthew Dunn sent him into a Doomben maiden last week, which he won by 3.75l.
Jolie Bay when racing | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Joliestar had trialled in February, running fourth on that occasion before stepping out on Tuesday morning. She led home Reine Of Nine (Rubick) and Wassa (More Than Ready {USA}) in 55.48s, the last 600 metres in 34.88s.
“She was one of my favourite fillies of that year,” O’Brien said. “I absolutely adored her. She had a beautiful head, beautiful colour and great action, and all the lovely substance of that female family with the added quality of Zoustar.”
“She (Joliestar) was one of my favourite fillies of that year... She had a beautiful head, beautiful colour and great action, and all the lovely substance of that female family with the added quality of Zoustar.” - Peter O'Brien
Cambridge Stud paid $950,000 for Joliestar at the same sale as Andronicus, which is the best price the mare has posted on the yearling market.
“Henry Plumptre said to me at the sales, after he had bought her, that she was the filly that reminded him most of Probabeel of all fillies he had seen at a sale since Probabeel,” O’Brien said. “She trialled up really well first time out, but they didn’t want to push her early.
“She’s a lovely, scopey filly and they have a massive opinion of her, and again they’ve been patient with her, which I think will be rewarded when she gets to the track.”
“Henry Plumptre said to me at the sales, after he had bought her (Joliestar), that she was the filly that reminded him most of Probabeel of all fillies he had seen at a sale since Probabeel.” - Peter O'Brien
The Barhams have fostered this family closely since the days of Legally Bay. They have retained Joliestar’s full sister, who was born in 2021, and that filly went down to Peter Moody a fortnight ago. Jolie Bay is currently in foal to Zoustar and is booked to freshman star Anamoe this spring.
Heat 4: One Last Shot (All Too Hard x Able)
Heat 4 was the first of the juvenile trials at Rosehill on Tuesday and it was won by the All Too Hard filly One Last Shot, a daughter of Guilty As Sin (Star Witness) and a first foal.
This filly is trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, and it was her first outing. She led home the more experienced Souttar (I Am Invincible) and Rockabilly Rebel (Street Boss {USA}) in the time of 55.12s, the last 600 metres in 34.56s.
One Last Shot as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
One Last Shot was bought by Proven Thoroughbreds for $90,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, consigned by Golden Grove. She is closely related to Bel Esprit, while this is the same family as the G1 Blue Diamond winner Mahaasin (NZ) (Biscay), who was a very smart juvenile.
Heat 5: Shaken (I Am Invincible x Earthquake)
Godolphin could have a smart one in the 2-year-old filly Shaken (I Am Invincible), whose race debut came in February when she was last in a field of nine at Randwick-Kensington.
Since then, she has been coaxed along by James Cummings and her win on Tuesday morning was convincing, leading home the field by 1.43l from the Trilogy colt Mad Deel (Dundeel {NZ}) and the Deep Field gelding Draco.
Earthquake when racing | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Shaken’s great claim to fame is that she is a daughter of Earthquake (Exceed And Excel), Godolphin’s smart winner of the G1 Blue Diamond S. and G2 Reisling S. in 2014. All up, Earthquake was a four-time Group winner and Shaken is her fifth foal.
The filly posted a winning trial time of 54.74s, the last 600 metres in 34.67s.
Heat 7: Arctic Glamour (Frosted {USA} x Fartoo Flashy)
Arctic Glamour was the second juvenile winner on the card for Ryan and Alexiou on Tuesday, the Frosted (USA) filly keeping her unbeaten trial career in good fettle. She had debuted in a 900-metre trial on this track on May 19, coming home a winner that day by 0.47l.
In this event it was a similar result, Arctic Glamour winning by 0.44l. She led home a field that included the Chris Waller filly I Am Smiling (NZ) (I Am Invincible), herself a daughter of Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel).
Arctic Glamour as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Arctic Glamour was bought for $185,000 by Pride Racing at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. From Fartoo Flashy (Galileo {Ire}), she is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Waging War (Rebel Raider). This is the same family as the stakes-placed Lagerphone (Fastnet Rock).
Heat 8: Waterski (Street Boss {USA} x Outdoor)
This Godolphin filly began trialling in late May when fourth at Hawkesbury. On Tuesday she posted a narrow 0.12l win over Starmae (Zoustar) and I Am Famous (I Am Invincible), the latter a half-sister to The Everest winner Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt).
Waterski (Street Boss {USA}) herself is a half-sister to Godolphin’s excellent gelding Trekking (Street Cry {Ire}), and a granddaughter of the dual Oaks winner Serenade Rose (Stravinsky {USA}). This is a smart family with plenty of black type.
On Tuesday, Waterski was ridden by Sam Clipperton, clocking the 900 metres in 55.36s, the last 600 in 34.59s.
