Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Under fine conditions, Rosehill hosted 14 trials on a Soft 5 surface on Tuesday morning, with some intriguing runners contesting Heat 6 over 900 metres. The contest was won by the Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes-trained Keysborough (I Am Invincible), a lightly raced grandson of the late Champion Black Caviar (Bel Esprit).
The 5-year-old gelding is the first foal from Black Caviar’s daughter, Oscietra (Exceed And Excel), who is due to foal to Anamoe this spring. Partnered by Jay Ford, Keysborough secured victory by 1.18l over Godolphin’s Group 3 winner, Red Card (Ribchester {Ire}).
Finishing in third was Red Card’s stablemate, the multiple Group 2-winning Kallos (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), while the Chris Waller-trained Switzerland (Snitzel) and Lazzura (Snitzel) placed fourth (5.29l) and fifth (7.02l), respectively.
Switzerland claimed the G2 Todman S. as a juvenile last season and was a fancy for the G1 Golden Slipper, while Lazzura made quite an impression by winning the Listed Woodlands S. and heading to the spelling paddock as an unbeaten 2-year-old.
Braveheart salutes over Exceed
Heat 2 was claimed by the well-related Braveheart (I Am Invincible). Trained by Peter Snowden and ridden by Tommy Berry, the colt emerged from the middle of the pack, chasing hard to defeat Ciaron Maher’s Exceed The Dream (Exceed And Excel). Barber (Exceed And Excel), a well-performed 2-year-old now in his 4-year-old season, finished third.
David Payne-trained Navajo Peak (Territories {Ire}), who won the G2 Chelmsford S., made some late ground over the unsuitable 1030 metres. Although beaten by over 7l, his best work came towards the end and after the line.
Braveheart as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Braveheart, who won as a 2-year-old at Randwick-Kensington in June, was freshened up for eight weeks. Upon resumption, he finished third in a trial behind last Saturday’s impressive Listed The Rosebud winner, Gatsby’s (Snitzel).
The son of I Am Invincible was a $1.3 million purchase by China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock, and Trilogy from the draft of Yarraman Park Stud at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Braveheart is the sixth foal from the G3 Cockram S. winner Octavia (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and a full brother to King Of Sparta, who has won eight races, including the G2 Expressway S., the G3 Bletchingly S., the R. Listed Magic Millions Guineas, the Magic Millions Sprint, and the Magic Millions Snippets Plate.
Father and son on the board
Father and son duo, Zoustar and Zousain, both standing at Widden Stud, were represented by winners at Rosehill on Tuesday morning. In Heat 12, the Brad Widdup-trained The Act (Zoustar) stepped out in the 900-metre contest.
Ridden by James McDonald, The Act was a dominant 2.52l winner over Ikuma (I Am Invincible), while Northern Eagle (Written Tycoon) was over 3l away in third. The Act is out of the Belong To Me (USA) mare Belong To Many, a winner of the G2 Sapphire S. and dam of G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude winner Native Soldier (Sepoy).
Zoustar | Standing at Widden
The Act was passed in for $140,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale when offered by Baramul Stud.
Zoustar’s other winner came courtesy of the Chris Waller-trained Zoysia in Heat 11. Unraced like The Act, Zoysia comfortably won the 900-metre contest with Nash Rawiller in the saddle, holding a 0.73l margin over Superata (Pierata), while Indigo Star (Zoustar) was 1.45l away in third.
Zoysia was a $300,000 purchase by Mulcaster Bloodstock and Chris Waller Racing from the draft of The Chase at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He is out of the Snitzel mare Grasslands, a full sister to the brilliant Away Game.
Zoysia as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Next, it was Zoustar’s son Zousain who got on the board, as the promising young stallion was represented by the Waller-trained Amelita in Heat 13. With Lee Magorrian in the saddle, the filly was held together in the run to the line, winning by 0.19l over Bremel (Capitalist) and Warrior Chief (Headwater).
Catching the eye, finishing seventh but only beaten 2.69l, was Amelita’s stablemate Hammett (Written Tycoon). Amelita is out of the More Than Ready (USA) mare Miss Amelia, who won three races and is a daughter of Amelia’s Dream (Redoute’s Choice), a winner of the G2 Silver Slipper S.
Amelita was a $280,000 purchase by Magic Bloodstock, Noel and Maria Greenhalgh, Julia Ritchie, and Neil Werrett from the draft of Edinglassie Thoroughbreds at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Lightly raced 3-year-olds to follow?
Tuesday’s morning trial session showcased some lightly raced 3-year-olds who may be worth following into the spring. Ciaron Maher’s Deconstruction (Snitzel) impressed in Heat 4. Held over 1030 metres, Deconstruction, with Jason Collett in the saddle, won by 1.51l from the fast-finishing Cashburn (Capitalist) and Go Zola (Flying Artie), who struck solidly to hold third.
Deconstruction has raced twice, with his best effort to date being a third-place finish at Warwick Farm. He is out of the five-time winner Dee Nine Elle, a daughter of Duporth, and hails from the family of The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes and dual Group 1 winner In Her Time (Time Thief).
The colt was a $350,000 purchase by Apollo Stud Farm from the draft of Vinery Stud at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Deconstruction as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
In Heat 5, the Richard and Will Freedman-trained Tact (The Autumn Sun) narrowly won the 1030-metre contest. The once-raced 3-year-old, ridden by Andrew Adkins, led into the straight and kicked clear from the fast-finishing Hurry Miss (Alabama Express).
Dollars (Written Tycoon) finished third, while the James Cummings-trained Squeezebox (Epaulette) made late ground to finish fifth.
Tact was a $100,000 purchase by Dynamic Syndications and Dean Watt Bloodstock from the draft of Bhima Thoroughbreds at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He is out of the winning Northern Meteor mare Total Discretion, who is from the family of stakes winners Sun City and Parlophone (I Am Invincible).
Maher import takes out the opener
Ciaron Maher’s French import Sivka Burka (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) has yet to secure a win in Australia from two runs over 1100 and 1300 metres. Ridden by Tim Clark in the 1030 metres contest, the 5-year-old mare led the trial and held on narrowly against a late charge from Draco’s Fire (Rubick) and Wanaruah (Snitzel).
Siyouni (Fr) | Standing at Aga Khan
Running home strongly in fourth was the Peter Snowden-trained Queen Of Dragons (Pierro), a winner of the G3 Kembla Grange Classic. Sivka Burka had previously won the Listed Prix Amandine at Deauville and was Group 3-placed in Europe. The daughter of Siyouni (Fr) is out of the Giant’s Causeway (USA) mare Dynadin (GB), who is a daughter of the dual Group 1 winner Dynaforce (USA) (Dynaformer {USA}) and a half-sister to Listed winner and Group 2-placed Aljezeera (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
Sivka Burka was a €380,000 (AU$626,100) purchase by Astute Bloodstock at the 2023 Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale.
Aft Cabin and Remarque win trials
The Michael, Wayne, and John Hawkes-trained Group 3 sprinter Remarque (Snitzel) took out Heat 9. The 6-year-old, ridden by Jay Ford, defeated Nostalgia (Zoustar), with the stakes-winning 2-year-old Althoff (Written Tycoon) finishing third.
Another stakes-winning juvenile, Megastar Heart (Star Turn), crossed the line in sixth, beaten 4.01l, while the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas victress Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High) was eighth.
In the following heat, Godolphin’s classy sprinter Aft Cabin (Astern) was successful over 900 metres. Partnered by Zac Lloyd, the son of Astern was a 1.93l winner over Impulsivity (NZ) (Russian Revolution) and Coastwatch (Fastnet Rock).
Finishing fourth was the well-performed Chrysaor (Better Than Ready). Aft Cabin’s four victories include the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint, the G3 Eskimo Prince S., and the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude. He also placed fourth in both the G1 Randwick Guineas and the G1 Doomben 10,000.
