Written by Kit Gow
Cover image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images)
It was all systems go at Rosehill Gardens on Monday morning with more trial action; last year’s G1 New Zealand Oaks winner geared up for an autumn in Australia, Invincibella’s 2-year-old son put in a huge performance, and a close relation to Joliestar showed he had improved off of his maiden victory.
Pulchritudinous nears racetrack return
Yulong Investments-owned G1 New Zealand Oaks winner Pulchritudinous (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}) took a step closer to her autumn racetrack return on Monday morning with a closing second to Piraeus (Merchant Navy) in the first heat at Rosehill Gardens. Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the 4-year-old settled near the rear of the field and swept home to finish 0.78l behind the winner.
Video: Watch Pulchritudinous (NZ) place in heat 1 at Rosehill trials on Monday, vision courtesy of Racing NSW
Purchased privately by Yulong from owner and trainer Chad Ormsby after her Oaks victory, Pulchritudinous finished 5th on her Australian debut, 1.5l behind Vibrant Sun (The Autumn Sun) in the G1 Australasian Oaks. She holds a nomination for the G1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes. Her second dam Perfect Pair (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice) is a half-sister to G2 Silver Slipper Stakes-winning sire Kenfair (NZ).
Wootton Bassett son of Invincibella puts in impressive finish
Chris Waller-trained Barking Mad (Wootton Bassett {GB}) flashed home impressively in his second career trial on Monday at Rosehill Gardens. Originally posted quite far back in the field, the 2-year-old colt picked up the pace in the home straight to down the improving Akaysha (Capitalist) by 0.04l.
Video: Watch Barking Mad win heat 9 at Rosehill trials on Monday, vision courtesy of Racing NSW
Purchased by Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock from Coolmore Stud for $625,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Barking Mad is the second foal of elite racemare Invincibella (I Am Invincible), who has a yearling daughter by Snitzel that Coolmore will offer at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in April as Lot 417. Invincibella missed to Justify (USA) in 2023 and was exported to the United States ahead of last year’s breeding season.
Well-bred Mednyi speeds home at Rosehill
The impeccably bred juvenile Mednyi (Capitalist) - a half-brother of Listed Merson Cooper Stakes winner Ebhaar (I Am Invincible) - let down impressively to win his tickover trial at Rosehill on Monday morning. A last start winner at the beginning of March, the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained colt took the lead early and sped home with Ernaux (I Am Invincible) in hot pursuit, crossing the line with 0.19l between them. There was a gap of nearly 6l back to the rest of the field.
Video: Watch Mednyi win heat 7 at Rosehill trials on Monday, vision courtesy of Racing NSW
Bred and retained by Emirates Park, Mednyi is the fifth winner out of metropolitan performer Maroon Bay (Exceed And Excel), a half-sister to Merchant Navy and G2 Roman Consul Stakes winner Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock), dam of Joliestar (Zoustar). Emirates Park will offer a half-brother by I Am Invincible as Lot 51 in the forthcoming Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Telling fights out to the finish with Snowden stablemate
Juvenile colt Telling (Graff) put in a big effort to run down stablemate Dundeel Flyer (Dundeel {NZ}) in the first 2-year-old trial of the morning at Rosehill Gardens on Monday. Both trained by Peter Snowden, each had to squeeze round early leader Serpico (Shamus Award) to hit the front, where Telling held off the filly by 0.14l to win.
Video: Watch stablemates Telling and Dundeel Flyer battle out heat 4 at Rosehill trials, vision courtesy of Racing NSW
An $85,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase for his trainer from Yarraman Park, Telling is a half-brother to G3 Gimcrack Stakes placegetter Divine Glory (Hellbent) and eight-time winner Taken On Chance (Hinchinbrook), out of 11-time winner Never Doubt Me (Not A Single Doubt).
Ole Kirk gelding turns heads with frontrunning victory
Gelded juvenile Tiberius (Ole Kirk) made his first appearance at the trials since November on Monday, where he flashed home in a heat at Rosehill Gardens. Trained by Bjorn Baker, the gelding kept a steady tempo up the front and needed little urging to widen the gap between him and the pack, crossing the line 2.47l in front of runner-up Condone (Justify {USA}).
Video: Watch Tiberius win heat 10 at Rosehill trials on Monday, vision courtesy of Racing NSW
Passed in at the Gold Coast last January when offered by Glenbeigh Farm, Tiberius now wears the colours of Darby Racing, and is the first foal from a winning half-sister to Listed-placed Fox Fighter (Foxwedge). A half-brother by Captivant will be offered as Lot 175 in Emirates Park’s draft at the Easter sale next month.
