Written by Trent Masenhelder
Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Warwick Farm on Monday hosted 15 trials, with two of them - Heats 4 and 5 - for 2-year-olds, and again it was the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable that dominated proceedings.
In Heat 4 (812 metres), a field of four faced the starter and it was the Waterhouse/Bott-trained colt The Three Hundred (I Am Invincible) that was first home.
Bred by Allam Racing Syndicate, the colt was consigned by Yarraman Park Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He was bought by Trilogy Racing, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing for $400,000.
The Three Hundred as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The Three Hundred is the third living foal of the 2015 Listed Welcome S. victress Sassy ‘N’ Smart (Smart Missile) and she herself is a half-sister to the Group 3 scorer Mallory (Not A Single Doubt).
Other stakes winners on the colt’s page include Marbling (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Nebraska Tornado (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}).
The Three Hundred hugged the rail and led before fanning wide on the home turn. He was clicked up by jockey Adam Hyeronimus in the straight, prevailing by 0.35l in 48.70s. The Anthony Cummings-trained Already Blue (Blue Point {Ire}) ran second, while Clarry Conners’ Huka Falls (Headwater) was third.
Gallery: Heat 4, images courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Heat 5 comprised six 2-year-olds and it was the Waterhouse/Bott-trained Southern Charm (Shalaa {Ire}) that took the honours.
The filly was offered by her breeder - Arrowfield Stud - at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She was knocked down to Henderson Racing and Breeding Trust for $180,000.
Southern Charm is the first foal from the winning Redoute’s Choice mare In A While - a three-quarter sister to last year’s Listed William Crockett S. winner Wee Nessy (Snitzel).
Southern Charm as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The filly’s second dam, Later Gator (More Than Ready {USA}), placed in Listed company and she is a half-sister to the Group 3 placegetter and three-time winner Next The Universe (Mossman).
Southern Charm, under Tim Clark, and stablemate Better Being Single (Better Than Ready), rode the speed and it was the former that drew clear in the run home, scoring by 0.5l in 48.22s. The Marc Conners-trained Micro Magic - a filly by Darley’s first-season sire Microphone, ran home well to grab second in front of Better Being Single.
Meanwhile, talented Godolphin filly Commemorative (I Am Invincible), who was so impressive when winning by 4.86l debut at Canterbury in June, finished second behind Jarrod Austin’s Let’s Go Bro (Sepoy) in Heat 8 (808 metres).
Gallery: Some of the Warwick Farm trial runners, images courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The James Cummings-trained Commemorative trucked along four-wide throughout the run and took late ground off Let’s Go Bro, who led throughout. Joseph Pride’s dual Group 3-winning mare Argentia (Frankel {GB}) was third.
Elsewhere, the Group 2 winner I Am Me (I Am Invincible) scored a narrow victory in Heat 9 (808 metres); the Team Snowden-trained King’s Gambit (I Am Invincible) - a Listed winner at two, placed third. And, Winx’s (Street Cry {Ire}) half-sister, the Pride-trained City Of Lights (Deep Impact {Jpn}), was second in Heat 7 (800 metres).
