Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Two favourites go head to head
Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) has been the G1 Melbourne Cup favourite twice and failed twice, but now he’s in the care of local trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott who hope to change his fortunes this year. He led heat 1 over 1000 metres at Randwick, with Chris Waller-trained star mare and G1 Cox Plate favourite Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) cruising from the middle of the pack to put a little pressure on Vauban with both Group 1 favourites heading to the line under a decent hold.
“He seems in good shape. He will have a couple of trials and then we'll see him resume most likely in a race like the Chelmsford,” co-trainer Adrian Bott said.
“I feel he's in for a good campaign. He's had that bit longer to acclimatise down here. He's in off the back of a nice break and he had a positive racing campaign last time in and has improved nicely for it.”
“He's (Vauban) in off the back of a nice break and he had a positive racing campaign last time in and has improved nicely for it.” - Adrian Bott
Waller had four in heat one with Via Sistina beating home Golden Century (NZ) (Pierro). Fangirl (Sebring) was 2l further back in fourth. Fangirl and Via Sistina will head to the G1 Winx Stakes on August 23.
Autumn Glow’s trial spikes The Everest rumours
Chris Waller’s unbeaten 4-year-old mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) flashed home late for third in heat 3, won by Michael Freedman-trained Just Feelin’ Lucky (Justify {USA}) with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Bellazaine (Zousain) in second.
“It's an open question which races Autumn Glow will be aimed at this spring carnival,” Autumn Glow’s part-owner John Messara told racenet.com.au.
“We have had approaches from some Everest slot-holders but it's all conjecture at the moment. She will resume racing at Randwick on August 23 in either the Show County Quality or the Toy Show Quality and we want to see how she goes that day before deciding on her program. Chris's preference is the Epsom Handicap but it will depend on what she does first-up. If she shows us she is sprinting really well then obviously we will have a look at the Everest.”
Autumn Glow is currently at $15 in the market for The Everest. Waller’s other two exciting mares, Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) and Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) ran third and fourth in heat 2 which was won by John Sargent-trained Palmetto (NZ) (Ghibellines).
Maher quartet prefer Gosford
Ciaron Maher scratched his four Group 1 winners from the Randwick trials and took them to Gosford instead.
Group 1 winner Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) won heat 1 over 1000 metres with Victorian jockey Jamie Melham travelling up north to ride him. He cruised in front and held off the fast finishing Squeezebox (Epaulette), trained by Kim Waugh.
The two trainers swapped places in heat 2 with Waugh’s Mogul Monarch (Capitalist) just beating Group 1 winner Another Wil (Street Boss {USA}). The pair were 3l ahead of the rest of the field.
Maher’s Group 1 winner Light Infantry Man (Fr) (Fast Company {Ire}) was ridden quietly by Melham at the rear of the field in heat 3 over 1000 metres, and closed nicely for third. Another Capitalist took out this heat, being Nathan Doyle-trained Hidden Motive.
Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) went around in heat 6, finishing in third, 2l off the leader King’s Duty (Exosphere). Jimmysstar sat quietly at the rear of the field and slowly came around the outside to cruise nicely to the line in a solid hitout.
Manaal ready to train on
Former G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes winning juvenile Manaal (Tassort) had her second trial for this campaign, and the now 4-year-old mare won a competitive heat four over 850 metres from G1 Golden Slipper placed Wodeton (Wootton Bassett {GB}) with stakes winner Clean Energy (Zoustar) in third and Group 1 winner Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) in fourth.
Manaal, a homebred for Emirates Park, was last seen when fifth in the G1 Coolmore Classic during the autumn.
Michael Freedman’s team were prominent at the trials, winning heat 3 with Just Feelin’ Lucky, heat 8 with Pallaton (Wootton Bassett {GB}), heat 11 with Magenta Skies (GB) (Frankel {GB}), heat 12 with Ruination (Wootton Bassett {GB}), and heat 14 with Extractor (Spirit Of Boom).
Waterhouse Bott team on fire
Of the 17 heats at Randwick on Thursday, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott team won six of them. As well as Vauban, they won heat 7 with Redbreast (American Pharoah {USA}), and heat 13 with 3-year-old Hellabella (Hellbent) who was third in her only start at two last season.
In heat 15, 3-year-old filly Enchanted By (Written By) won by 0.6l from stablemate 3-year-old colt Condone (Justify {USA}). The training partnership also enjoyed the quinella in heat 16 as Vancouver-sired pair of Switz put 2.25l over stablemate Canadian Fling.
The stable concluded the day with a resounding 4.12l victory by unraced 3-year-old filly Helluva Kiss (Hellbent) in heat 17, the final one of the day at Randwick. The filly was a $100,000 purchase by Redfox Racing from Yarraman Park Stud’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft.
