Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Friday, the trial action centred on the 14 heats at Rosehill in Sydney. There was plenty of excitement with the presence of the gun sprinter Cannonball (Capitalist), while several progressive types who put in visually impressive displays.
Cannonball dominates trial
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Cannonball, a 4-year-old entire by Capitalist, took another step towards his return to racing with a dominant display in Heat 2 over 1030 metres.
The classy sprinter failed to show his best on the world stage at Royal Ascot earlier in the year but ridden by Tommy Berry on Friday, Cannonball seemed to have put that behind with a 1.93l success over Cepheus (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Yellow Brick (The Mission), a further 3.7l away.
Cannonball performed with merit during the autumn in Sydney, winning the G3 Maurice McCarten S. and finishing second in the G1 The Galaxy.
The organisation offered the son of Newgate Farm’s Capitalist at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where James Harron Bloodstock paid $975,000 to secure the handsome colt.
Cannonball is the third foal from the Snitzel mare Golconda. A Listed victress, she is also the dam of the Group 2 winner Marine One, a full brother to Cannonball.
Daughter of More Joyous adds intrigue
A most interesting runner took out Heat 4, held over the 1030 metres, for Clarry Conners.
The Hawkesbury is the daughter of the superhorse Frankel (GB). If that wasn’t enough to have such an illustrious father, The Hawkesbury is the fifth foal from the Champion More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}).
The 3-year-old filly was bred by Strawberry Hill Stud has been retained and will carry John Singleton’s iconic dark blue and white crossed sashes like her outstanding dam.
More Joyous saluted the judge 21 times in a brilliant career that included such races as the Queen Elizabeth S., the Doncaster H. and the Toorak H. She was recently sold for $450,000 to Yulong as part of the Strawberry Hill Stud dispersal held by Magic Millions.
The Hawkesbury, ridden by Nash Rawiller, was under a hold for most of the Rosehill straight before Rawiller urged gently to pick up pace, to which she responded by putting her head in front of Warilla Gorilla (Shooting To Win) and So Outrageous (So You Think {NZ}).
Stormboy shows promise
The second Southern Hemisphere crop of Justify (USA) has started to hit the tracks, and on Friday, the Champion Australian First Season Sire unveiled another smart prospect.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Storm Boy, ridden by Adam Hyeronimus, showed plenty of toe to lead his rivals over the 900 metres of Heat 6. Heading into the straight, Hyeronimus clicked up his charge with colt willingly putting 3.3l between himself and War Council (Royal Meeting {Ire}), while Scampi (Blue Point {Ire}) was a further 4l afield.
Storm Boy is the first foal from Pelican (NZ), a daughter of Fastnet Rock who won twice as a 2-year-old. Pelican is a daughter of the outstanding Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}).
The star Kiwi was twice crowned the New Zealand Horse of the Year and the Champion Sprinter in New Zealand once.
Seachange won 14 races from 1200 to 1600 metres, among the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas and the G1 Telegraph H.
Storm Boy | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Storm Boy, bred by Katom, was offered by Coolmore Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where Gai Waterhouse Adrian Bott Racing and Kestrel Thoroughbred paid $460,000 to secure him.
Trafalgar Square shows plenty of speed
David Payne unveiled the 2-year-old filly Trafalgar Square in Heat 7 for juvenile fillies over 900 metres.
The daughter of Churchill (Ire), under Adam Hyeronimus, took out the heat by 1.88l from Canara (I Am Invincible).
Trafalgar Square is the third foal from the unraced Excellent Art (GB) mare Amnesiac. Amnesiac is a daughter of Amnesia (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}), who was placed twice at the Group 2 level. Trafalgar Square comes from the family of the G1 Tattersall's Tiara victress Prompt Response (Beneteau); she was also a winner of the G2 Emancipation S. and the Breeders’ Classic.
Prompt Response is a full sister to the G3 Maribyrnong Plate winner Prompt Return.
Trafalgar Square was sold for $19,000 to AT Racing through the Inglis Digital May Sale in 2022 before Telemon Thoroughbreds reoffered her at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast, where Payne Racing paid $110,000.
Encryption gelding upstages blue blood
Eureka Stud’s second-season sire, Encryption, was the sire of Friday’s smart trial winner, Code In Time.
Chad Schofield rode the Annabel Neasham-trained 3-year-old gelding to a narrow 0.7l victory in Heat 12.
Albeit the margin was short, visually, it was impressive with Code In Time running down Mathkhoora (I Am Invincible), a daughter of the G1 Golden Slipper heroine Mossfun (Mossman).
Code In Time as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The yet-to-debut Code In Time is from the unraced Redoute’s Choice mare Future Choice. She is the dam Eight Till Late (Lonhro), who scored the G3 Champion Fillies S.
The gelding is also related to Amasenus (Time For War), a 10-time winner who has tasted success twice at the Listed level.
Code In Time caught the eye of Annabel Neasham and Brian McGuire, who paid $80,000 to secure the gelding from Twin Hills Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Chocolate impresses onlookers
The Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes-trained Iced Chocolate (I Am Invincible) was impressive in winning Heat 13 over the 900 metres.
Tyler Schiller rode the unraced 3-year-old filly to a 2.19l victory over Cassiel (Harry Angel {Ire}).
Iced Chocolate is the second foal from the Listed-placed Unequivocal (Not A Single Doubt). The filly descends from a nice page that includes the G2 Chairman’s H. winner and G1 Caulfield Cup placegetter Grey Song (Unbridled’s Song {USA}).
Iced Chocolate as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
While G3 Northwood Plume S. victress Dirty Thoughts (So You Think {NZ}) and the G2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile winner Hypnos (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) are also from this family.
Iced Chocolate was a $400,000 purchase by MB Bloodstock and Heran Racing from the draft of Fernrigg Farm at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Candy blows them away
Neil Werrett has retained Candy Women (Headwater) under his Werrett Bloodstock banner. The decision looks astute, given the daughter of Headwater’s performance on Friday morning.
Candy Women, trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, was ridden by Brandon Lerena in the Heat 14 over 900 metres.
The filly had a considerable gap between herself and the rest of the field coming around the bend and even eased down, she still recorded a 3.36l success over Sensory (I Am Invincible).
Candy Women | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Candy Women is the fourth foal from Sugar Rush (More Than Ready {USA}), a winner of four races. She was a $600,000 purchase by Gai Waterhouse and James Harron Bloodstock from the 2012 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Candy Women’s second dam, Sugar Babe (NZ) (Exceed And Excel), claimed the G3 HDF McNeil S. and the Listed Debutant S.
