Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
There was plenty of action at Rosehill on Monday morning. The venue hosted 13 competitive trials, including three heats for the juveniles. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable were to the forefront in the 2-year-old heats, winning two of the three with some smart-looking colts, while David Payne's Churchill (Ire) filly Trafalgar Square also looks one to follow.
Cassiel looks the goods
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Cassiel (Harry Angel {Ire}) impressed onlookers with a 2.36l success in Heat 3 over 1030 metres.
The unraced 3-year-old colt ridden by Tommy Berry, proved much too slick for Fameux (Exceed And Excel) and Huddersfield (Divine Prophet). Cassiel has shown ability in all three outings to the trials, having finished second over 900 metres at Rosehill last start and winning his first trial in July of this year at Randwick.
The son of the Group 1-producing sire Harry Angel (Ire) is the second foal from the Medaglia D’Oro (USA) mare Tears Of Gold (USA). She won over 1300 metres and was purchased by Waratah Thoroughbreds for US$620,000 (AU$997,600) from the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale.
Cassiel’s second-dam Cry And Catch Me (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}) won the G1 Oak Leaf S. and was also offered at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale where Live Oak Plantation laid out US$3,500,000 (AU$5.4 million).
Offered by Bell River Thoroughbreds at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Snowden Racing and William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA) paid $180,000 to secure Cassiel.
Cassiel as a yearling, trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, winner of Heat 1 | Image courtesy of Inglis
Starting the Snowden stables' productive Monday morning at Rosehill and continuing Darby Racing’s dream weekend was Mafia (Written Tycoon).
The progressive 3-year-old gelding has raced six times and won once but has tackled some stiff company as a 2-year-old running into horses the calibre of Exploring (Brazen Beau) and Archo Nacho (Sioux Nation {USA}).
Stepping out in Heat 1 with Tom Sherry in the saddle, Mafia found the better of his stablemate Speed Of Light (Exceed And Excel) over the 1030-metre journey.
The son of Written Tycoon is the second foal from the classy Not A Single Doubt mare Hell Or Highwater, a winner of eight races, including the Listed Heatherlie S. and placed in the G2 WH Stocks S.
Mafia as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Mafia, a veteran of the sales ring, was firstly a $510,000 pinhook by Rosemont Stud from the draft of Woodside Park Stud at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale. Rosemont Stud reoffered Mafia in their 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling draft, where he attracted the eye of the China Horse Club, Newgate Bloodstock and Trilogy Racing, who paid $850,000.
Being gelded saw Mafia no longer suit the requirements of his ownership, and he was offered by Newgate as agent on the 2023 Inglis Digital June (Late) Online Sale; Darby Bloodstock, sensing an opportunity, purchased Mafia for $180,000.
Maher and Eustace juveniles to the fore
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable were victorious in two of the three juvenile heats held on Monday morning.
In Heat 7, the stable unveiled Goodlucktome, a son of the Champion Sire Written Tycoon, ridden by Jason Collett, held a 0.17l margin over the full brother to Russian Revolution, Everybody Rise (Snitzel), while running into third 1.84l away was Hell To Pay (Hellbent).
Goodlucktome was bred by Hutchins Thoroughbreds, who have remained in the ownership. The colt is the 10th foal from the star juvenile Amelia’s Dream (Redoute’s Choice), a victress of the G2 Silver Slipper S.
Goodlucktome is a half-brother to the nine-time winner Impasse (Sepoy) and the Listed-placed Better Land.
The Maher and Eustace stable’s second winner came in Heat 8 courtesy of the Trapeze Artist colt Spywire.
Carrying the navy blue and pale-yellow spot silks of Ozzie Kheir and partners, the colt, also partnered by Collett, won by 0.98l from Media World (Written Tycoon) and Interjection (Too Darn Hot {GB}).
Spywire is the third foal from the Denman mare Secret Trail. She won five races, including the Listed Bright Shadow S.
Secret Trail is from the family of the G1 Railway H. victor (A) Gold Trail (Hussonet {USA}); in total, he won seven races with the G2 The Shorts and the Listed Canterbury Classic among those.
The colt was a $520,000 purchase by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock and Group 1 Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of Widden Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Spywire as a yearling, trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, winner of Heat 8 | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Trafalgar Square back-to-back
Rosehill-based trainer David Payne appeared to have a smart filly on his hands when Trafalgar Square (Churchill {Ire}) made it consecutive trial victories on Monday morning in Heat 9.
With Adam Hyeronimus taking the reins, the filly defeated Erno’s Cube (Rubick) and Sakima (Snitzel).
Trafalgar Square is the third foal from the unraced Excellent Art (GB) mare Amnesiac, who hails from the family of Group 1 winner Prompt Response (Beneteau).
The filly was offered by Coolmore Stud on the 2022 Inglis Digital May (Late) Online Sale, where AT Racing paid $19,000.
Telemon Thoroughbreds resold Trafalgar Square to Payne Racing for $110,000 at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Neasham’s million-dollar man
Annabel Neasham saddled up the $1.05 million yearling Redford (Snitzel) in Heat 2 over 1030 metres. Ridden by Adam Hyeronimus, Redford improved on his debut trial effort to defeat Long Memory (NZ) (Lonhro), while Redford’s stablemate, The Crimson Tide (The Autumn Sun) finished third.
TFI purchased the 3-year-old gelding from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He is the third foal from his well-related dam, Dream Date, a daughter of Starcraft (NZ), a half-sister to the brilliant sire Not A Single Doubt.
Redford, trained by Annabel Neasham, winner of Heat 2 | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Furthermore, this is also the family of the Group 1 winners, Oohood (I Am Invincible) and King’s Legacy.
Intriguing Waller import steps out
There was plenty of interest surrounding Heat 5, held over 900 metres it was won by the Chris Waller import Dynamic Spirit (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}).
The 5-year-old entire was having his first trial in Australia since arriving in July from Hong Kong. Ridden by Nash Rawiller, Dynamic Spirit got the best of Line Of Law (Russian Revolution).
Dynamic Spirit has been well-travelled, racing in his native Brazil under the name Orfeu Negro (Brz). He won the G1 Gavea G.P Jockey Club Brasileiro and the G1 Cidade Jardim G.P Ipiranga before Hong Kong came calling.
Dynamic Spirit's Hong Kong endeavours saw his best result being fourth behind Encountered (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), who won a Group 3 at Sha Tin on Sunday.
The 5-year-old hails from an interesting family that includes Bal A Bali (Brz), the Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old Colt in Brazil. He also placed in several Group 1 races in North America before retiring to Calumet Farm.
Waller also saddled up the 3-year-old filly Writty (Written Tycoon) in Heat 10, with Tommy Berry aboard the filly won from the I Am Invincible-sired pair Iced Chocolate and Mathkhoora.
Writty, an unraced filly by Champion Sire Written Tycoon, is from the unraced Medicean (GB) mare Nelum (GB), who was purchased by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) and Baystone Farm for 24,000gns (AU$47,900) at the 2018 Tattersalls July Sale.
Writty hails from a beautiful family with her third dam Intercontinental (GB) (Danehill {USA}), the Champion Turf Female in the United States of America, winning 13 races, including the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Intercontinental is a daughter of the dynasty-builder Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}).
Writty, trained by Chris Waller, winner of Heat 10 | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Writty was purchased by Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) for $220,000 from the draft of Widden Stud at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale. Kept with Widden Stud, the filly went through their 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where Magic Bloodstock and Associates paid $400,000 to secure her.
