Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Media World ignites in Rosehill trial
Yulong-owned 3-year-old colt Media World (Written Tycoon) dashed home to secure a trial win at Rosehill Gardens on Friday morning. Trained by Peter Snowden, the winner of the $160,000 Clarendon 2YO Stakes as a juvenile matched leader Queues Likely (GB) (Massaat {Ire}) stride for stride down the home straight before nabbing the older horse by 0.01l at the line. Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) and Fangirl (Sebring) were given quiet hit-outs at the rear of the field.
A $1.4 million purchase for Yulong from Fairview Park Stud at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Media World is the first foal from dual Group 3 winner Meryl (Epaulette), from the immediate family of G3 Gilgai Stakes winner Cosmic Strike (Made Of Gold {USA}). Fairview will offer a half-sister to Media World by Pierata at Inglis Easter this weekend, as Lot 56.
Belclare clashes with the Blood
Ever-consistent top level racemare Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) enjoyed leading a trial all the way home at Rosehill Gardens on Friday. The 7-year-old, who joined Bjorn Baker’s stable at the beginning of the racing season, comfortably kept a lead on the field in the third course proper trial of the morning, finishing 1.16l ahead of a returning Alligator Blood (All Too Hard), who was having his second trial for Chris Waller.
After passing in at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale, the now 13-time winner was sent across the Tasman to extend her record. Former trainer Lisa Latta purchased her half-sister by Time Test (GB) in 2023 for $30,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
Private Life and Olentia primed for autumnal continuation
G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Private Life (Written Tycoon) worked home quietly in midfield in a Rosehill trial won by Passeggiata (Winning Rupert) on Friday, having had a freshen up after not firing in the G1 Futurity Stakes. High quality 7-time winner Olentia (Zoustar) worked home well to finish second in the same trial, refusing to chase the hot pace set by Passeggiata, who blitzed home to win by 4l.
Video: Watch Passeggiata win her heat, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Winner of the G2 Emancipation Stakes, Olentia holds a nomination for the G1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes on April 12, whereas Private Life has been nominated for the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint on the same card. Arrowfield Stud will offer two close relations to Private Life at this weekend’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale; Lot 212 is out of Teaspoon (Snitzel), a full sister to Private Life’s G3 Epona Stakes-winning dam Aliyana Tilde, and Lot 288 is out of their three-quarter-sister Bacarella (Beneteau).
Percy Sykes-bound fillies clash in open trial
R. Listed Inglis Nursery Stakes placegetter Sequista (D’Argento) rocketed home to win a packed juvenile trial for Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou at Rosehill on Friday morning. The filly strode away under Tyler Schiller in the closing stages of the event, putting 2.87l on $1.15 million earner Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}), who was chased down by a rapidly improving Memo (Capitalist), crossing the line 1.37l further back.
Video: Watch Sequista's trial replay, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Trained by Peter Snowden, Memo skipped the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes after breaking her maiden in the G3 Magic Night Stakes and is being trained towards the G2 Percy Sykes Stakes on April 12. Here she will likely clash with Bjorn Baker-trained Within The Law, who is also nominated, as is Sequista. She is the least experienced member of the trio, with just her Nursery run under her belt.
Flash finish from Beadman
Second-placed in his debut trial in March behind Chicama (Written Tycoon), flash juvenile Beadman (Snitzel) had a strong hit-out on the Rosehill course proper on Friday. The Peter Snowden-trained colt was ridden along by Tommy Berry into the home straight and stretched out to beat a fast-finishing Tiberius (Ole Kirk) by 0.14l, with a gap of 3.6l back to the rest of the field.
Video: Watch Beadman winning his trial, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Bred and offered for sale by Arrowfield Stud, Beadman was a $900,000 purchase at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for China Horse Club, Newgate Farm, Go Bloodstock, and Trilogy. He is the fourth foal from Listed Prix de Bonneval winner Iffranesia (Fr) (Ifraaj {GB}), who has a full brother at foot and visited Dundeel (NZ) in the spring.
One Step Closer approaches raceday debut
One Step Closer (Castelvecchio) delivered on the promise of his name with his third career trial at Rosehill Gardens on Friday morning; the juvenile travelled easily in midfield until the closing 200 metres of the contest, before extending to run down Miss Freelove (Tassort) under the urging of Zac Lloyd. Trained by John O'Shea and Tom Charlton, he has previously placed third on two occasions.
Video: Watch One Step Closer's trial replay, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Another Arrowfield Stud graduate, One Step Closer was a $65,000 purchase for John O'Shea Racing and James Bester Bloodstock at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. His dam Get Closer (Jpn) (Wild Rush {USA}) is a two-time winner in Japan and a half-sister to 11-time winner Machikanenihombare (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S {Jpn}), who has amassed over ¥183 million ($2 million) in prizemoney, as well as Group 3 winner Satono Titan (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S {Jpn}). One Step Closer is her first Australian-born foal; her first two foals are both winners in Japan.
Two in a row for Jet
James Harron’s $1 million colt Jet (Zoustar) made it back-to-back trial wins at Rosehill on Friday morning. Leading the pack into the home straight, the Tulloch Lodge-trained juvenile had a little encouragement from Tim Clarke to let down impressively, outpacing Explicit (Snitzel) - the full brother to Coolmore Stud’s King’s Legacy - by 1.39l.
Video: Watch Jet winning his second trial in a row, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Go Bloodstock paid $850,000 for Jet’s half-brother by Snitzel at the Gold Coast this year, where he was also offered by Segenhoe Stud. Jet is the first foal from Listed Fireball Stakes winner and multiple Group-placed Villami (Foxwedge), a daughter of dual Group 3 winner Galapagos Girl (Dehere), from the family of South African sprint champion Laisserfaire (Danehill {USA}). Villami delivered a filly by Anamoe in the spring, before revisiting Zoustar.
Big finish from untapped Guardsman
Another pricey James Harron Colts Partnership purchase in Guardsman (Extreme Choice) dominated the next juvenile trial at Rosehill on Friday morning. Trained by Michael Freedman, the colt displayed a considerable engine in the home straight, rocketing to the line to win by 1.69l.
Video: Watch Guardsman's trial replay, video courtesy of Racing NSW
A $1.6 million purchase for connections from Milburn Creek at the Gold Coast last January, Guardsman is the fourth foal - and third by statistical super sire Extreme Choice - from Wanted Lady (Wanted), a half-sister to Listed-winning Missy Cummings (Magnus), dam of G1 Canterbury Stakes winner Mizzy (Zoustar) and Listed Twilight Glow Stakes winner She’s Got Pizzazz (Zoustar). Guardsman’s half-brother by Wild Ruler was offered by Attunga Stud at the Gold Coast this January, where he was purchased by Doyle Racing and Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA).
