Trial Report: Beiwacht salutes ahead of his raid on the Coolmore Stud Stakes

5 min read
Beiwacht was the star attraction at the Rosehill trials on Monday, scoring under minimal urgings when just pipping Stefi Magnetica. A pair of talented 2-year-olds also looked handy, putting their hand up as contenders in juvenile races ahead.

Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

Beiwacht wins nicely under a tight grip

G1 Golden Rose winner Beiwacht (Bivouac) kept sharp ahead of his G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes tilt with a narrow victory in the open heat over 1030 metres, edging out dual Group 1 winner Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard), with G3 Magic Night Stakes winner Memo (Capitalist) a couple of lengths further back in third.

Having his first hit-out since demolishing his G1 Golden Rose rivals by more than four lengths on 27 September, Beiwacht jumped well from the inside and settled second behind Memo, before using his inside gate to stride to the front under Adam Hyeronimus, with Memo tracking on his outside under Tom Sherry.

Stefi Magnetica settled strongly under Jason Collett in the trial, ticking over off a brave fourth in the G2 Sheraco Stakes behind Manaal (Tassort) on 13 September.

Not much changed in the run, as these classy gallopers were kept under tight holds, although Stefi Magnetica did duck along the inside to make it interesting after some urgings from Collett. But Beiwacht just held on and looked to be loving his work under a strong grip, ahead of his trip to Melbourne for the big 3-year-old sprint down the Flemington straight.

Beiwacht’s dam Metastasio (Street Cry {Ire}) has recently produced a 2-year-old full sister named Cafe Reine (Bivouac), who is in work with Chris Waller for Godolphin. Metastasio was then sold to Hirsch Racing for $110,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale from the Godolphin draft.

For her new connections, Metastasio has since produced a yearling three-quarter sister to Beiwacht by Microphone, and is due to foal to Benbatl (GB) later this month.

The royal-bred Ninette bolts in

Horses don’t come much better bred than Ninette (Zoustar), winner of Heat 4 for open horses over 900 metres. The 4-year-old mare is by Australia’s Champion Sire Zoustar and is out of the G1 Golden Slipper winner Overreach (Exceed And Excel), who also produced the Group 2-winning stallion Lofty Strike.

Video: Watch Ninette in Heat 4 at Rosehill Trials, footage courtesy of Racing NSW

The Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes-trained mare had only two starts prior - placing on debut at Canterbury, then winning easily over 1100 metres at Wyong in May. Since then, she’s been put away, but showed she's returned in super order, leading all the way and cruising to victory by just under three and a half lengths from Tuned (Zoustar) and Gabdalf (Impending).

Ninette was bred and is raced by Corumbene Stud. Her dam Overreach has also produced a 3-year-old filly named Loera (Capitalist), a 2-year-old filly by Snitzel, and is due to foal again to Zoustar in November.

Magic Millions winner looks ready to resume

Smart Bjorn Baker-trained filly O’ Ole (Ole Kirk) looks ready to go as a 3-year-old after an impressive trial, where she cruised in front and scored narrowly over Peschiera (I Am Invincible), with New Business (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) running on nicely for third. Class sprinter Private Eye (Al Maher) was given a very quiet trial, finishing sixth under Nash Rawiller.

Video: Watch O’ Ole in Heat 5 at Rosehill Trials, footage courtesy of Racing NSW

This was O’ Ole’s second trial back, and she responded well when Peschiera loomed at the 100-metre mark. She hasn’t raced since taking out the R. Listed Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YO Classic back in January, so this trial would have blown out more cobwebs ahead of her return - wherever Baker targets next.

O’ Ole’s dam Vellor (Sepoy) has also produced a 2-year-old full sister named Chanterelle (Ole Kirk), trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and a colt foal again by Ole Kirk that was born in October.

Defencemen lives up to his price tag with an effortless trial win

Beautifully bred 2-year-old colt Defencemen (Wootton Bassett {GB}) could be one to watch in coming weeks. The Chris Waller-trained colt sat in the trial, relaxed beautifully, then burst through between runners to win his 900-metre heat by just over a length and a half.

Short Sea (Ole Kirk) was tidy in second for Peter Snowden, while stablemate Keystrike (Profiteer) wasn't far away in third.

Video: Watch Defencemen in Heat 7 at Rosehill Trials, footage courtesy of Racing NSW

Defencemen was purchased by Tom Magnier for $1.4 million from the Yarraman Park draft at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

He’s by the late Wootton Bassett (GB) and is out of Upfront (War Front {USA}), who has left three winners, including four-time winner and Group 2-placed Direct (Siyouni {Fr}). His grandam Up (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was a Group 2 and Group 3 winner, and Group 1-placed in France.

Upfront has also left a yearling filly by the in-form Starspangledbanner, and is due to foal to Wootton Bassett again later this spring.

Could Predation be the next smart juvenile for Capitalist?

Predation, a colt by Capitalist, took out the second 2-year-old heat of the day over 900 metres for Edward O’Rourke and Tyler Schiller, winning by just over half a length.

He settled last in the small four-horse field as Thrill Hunter (Ole Kirk) set the pace, but Schiller swept around the outside at the top of the straight and drew clear late.

Video: Watch Predation in Heat 8 at Rosehill Trials, footage courtesy of Racing NSW

The eye-catcher of the heat was clearly Whitehall (I Am Invincible) in the Coolmore colours, who was blocked for much of the straight. Once James McDonald found room, Whitehall stormed home under minimal urging to finish second. He is out of Covent Garden (Exceed And Excel), a winning half-sister to Champion Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) - and is definitely one to follow.

As for Predation, he boasts a strong pedigree of his own. Purchased by O’Rourke Racing for $110,000 at this year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, the colt is out of Listed winner Ygritte (Snitzel), who was also Group-placed five times.

Predation’s third dam is Tycoon Lil (Last Tycoon {Ire}), the Champion New Zealand mare and triple G1 winner.

Trial Report
Rosehill
Beiwacht
O' Ole
Ninette
Defensemen
Predation
Whitehall