Written by Kristen Manning
Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The form from Perth's richest race The Quokka has been holding up well during the early stages of the spring carnival with the third-placed Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) in the thick of things when third in last weekend's G3 Concorde S. whilst the fourth home Asfoora (Flying Artie) won the G3 The Heath S. when resuming.
And at Tuesday's Rosehill trials The Quokka winner Overpass (Vancouver) was back in action with his second hitout having finished second to Nature Strip (Nicconi) a couple of weeks ago.
Going to the lead in Heat 7 over 900 metres, Overpass was always travelling well for Joshua Parr and on the line, he had 1.75l on the dual Listed winner Red Card (Ribchester {Ire}). Behind them were the Group winners Bacchanalia (Exceed And Excel) and Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) with none of them asked for much as was expected.
Overpass was first-up when taking out The Quokka and he was an improver between his first and second trials in the lead-up to that race as he has been this time in. The Everest-bound galloper will be one to look out for with his previous fresh performance being a game G2 The Shorts second to Nature Strip.
Buenos Noches (Supido) looked good when racing away with the G3 Show County first-up and he was kept up to the mark putting his nose in front of the four-time Group winner Zapateo (Brazen Beau) over the final stages of Heat 5 - the pair finishing a couple of lengths ahead of the lightly raced and promising import Altivo (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) who has won four of his first five starts.
Kicking off the morning with a soft all-the-way win after working across from a wide gate was the last-start G1 Stradbroke placegetter Hawaii Five Oh (I Am Invincible). The dual Group 3 winner was asked for more at his second trial for this campaign with connections having the G2 The Shorts in mind for his return.
There were several other nice performances in Heat 1 with the G1 Robert Sangster S. winner Ruthless Dame (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), the G1 Doomben 10,000 winner Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) and the G1 Tancred winner Arapaho (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) all picking up nicely late.
As did the far less experienced King's Gambit (I Am Invincible) - the Listed Debutant S. winner who caught the eye with a strong finish after a slow start.
Gallery: Some of the triallers at Rosehill, images courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Last-start G3 Gunsynd Classic winner Rediener (Redoute's Choice) found the line well in the Heat 3 with the lightly raced Whinchat (Russian Revolution) holding on nicely after getting up a good lead. The triple Group winner My Whisper (Frankel {GB}) was third with one of the eye-catching runs being a late charge up along the rails by Ausbred Flirt (Maurice {Jpn}).
Recording one of the easiest wins of the morning was the unbeaten Bjorn Baker-trained colt Ozzmosis (Zoustar) who put just short of 3l on the G1 JJ Atkins S. placegetter Tannhauser (Dundeel {NZ}). Though the biggest winning margin was that recorded by Chris Waller's last-start Scone maiden winner Afterlight (I Am Invincible), a promising $580,000 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale graduate who put 4.1l on her rivals.
The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou stable had a couple of unraced trial winners - Je Reve (Capitalist) and Pajanti (Pierro) looking promising. The former is a homebred son of the three-time Group 3-placed Nadeem Lass (Nadeem), the latter a $500,000 Inglis Easter buy from Redoute's Choice's family. Ciaron Maher and David Eustace also look to have a nice one in the shape of Darling Downs (Deep Field) who was also a Warwick Farm trial winner last month.
All eyes at the Belmont trials on Tuesday morning were on The Quokka runner-up Amelia's Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}) who hops on a plane on Thursday night to kick off her spring campaign. Damian Lane flew over to Perth to ride the outstanding mare who did just as much as she had to, winning her second trial for the campaign.
Also of interest in Perth was a 2-year-old trial, one which was won in easy fashion by Live Lucky from the second crop of Written By. A $30,000 buy at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, the daughter of the stakes-placed, multiple city winner Miss Tenpins (NZ) (Pins) boasts an interesting pedigree with Written By and Pins hailing from the same family.
A trio of first and second-season sires were represented by winners - Brave Spirit by Brave Smash (Jpn), Percussion Prince by Harry Angel (Ire) and Tawkin' Jibberish by Dubious.
There was also 2-year-old trial action in Queensland with heats for juveniles at both Toowoomba and Deagon - both won by the progeny of Lyndhurst Stud stallions.
Successful at Toowoomba was Herbie Town (Rothesay), a $10,000 Magic Millions March Yearling Sale purchase out of a half-sister to the stakes winner Husson Eagle (Husson {Arg}) whilst first across the line - saluting by an impressive 3l - at Deagon was Zelezny (Better Than Ready), a $110,000 Magic Millions half-brother to the G3 Quezette S. winner Kiss A Rose (Sebring).
