Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Shangri La Boy heads up cavalcade of stars in opening heat
The winner of the G3 Gloaming Stakes and second in the G1 Spring Champion Stakes last preparation, 3-year-old Pierro colt Shangri La Boy was first across the line in the first heat at Randwick on Thursday morning. The Tulloch Lodge trainee was quick out of the gates and established a strong two-length lead from the pack around the home turn.
Within the last furlong, G1 Flight Stakes victress Apocalyptic (Extreme Choice) received a nudge from Tommy Berry and flew home to finish a head behind the colt, with dual Group 3-winning 4-year-old Just Feelin’ Lucky (Justify {USA}) in third, a length off of the winner.
Sighted for the first time since his G1 Melbourne Cup scratching, Sir Delius (GB) (Frankel {GB}) demonstrated a burst of speed to finish fourth, with an improving Autumn Glow (The Autumn Glow) not hurried by James McDonald when coming fifth. Wodeton (Wootton Bassett {GB}) rounded out the group.
A half-brother to Coolmore roster resident Storm Boy, Shangri La Boy was a $375,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale selection for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in conjunction with Kestrel Thoroughbreds. Dam Pelican (NZ) (Fastnet Rock) has a Justify (USA) filly who hasn’t appeared in a sales catalogue yet, and she delivered a Wootton Bassett (GB) colt in spring before patronising City Of Troy (USA).
Freedman trifecta of talent in second heat
Michael Freedman booked four of his stable’s stars into the second heat of the day at Randwick on Thursday, and three of them filled the placings with 4-year-old entire Enriched (I Am Invincible) leading the way.
Stablemate Manaal (Tassort), who picked up two Group 2 victories in the spring, set the pace in the early stages of the trial, but once in the home straight, Enriched powered up to meet her and beat her by a nose on the line. G3 Breeders’ Plate winner Incognito (Stay Inside), against the older horses for the first time, was third by almost two and a half lengths.
Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) was winless during the spring but put on a string of strong performances, and was given a smooth trial to finish fourth, just ahead of returning G1 Golden Rose Stakes champ Beiwacht (Bivouac). Aerodrome (Ole Kirk) and Lazzura (Snitzel) rounded out the field, the latter not asked for maximal effort after jockey Kerrin McEvoy injured his left foot in the barriers. McEvoy was stood down for the rest of the trials and went to the hospital for precautionary x-rays, where it was discovered that he had broken multiple bones.
G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint victor Enriched is out a half-sister to Winx (Street Cry {Ire}), Miss Atom Bomb (Encosta De Lago), who has a Snitzel yearling colt on the ground. Miss Atom Bomb visited Anamoe this spring.
Via Sistina and Marhoona amongst finishers behind Pallaton
A winner on pre-Christmas debut as a 2-year-old and adding two stakes placings this past spring, 3-year-old Wootton Bassett colt Pallaton was back in strong form for a second trial ahead of the autumn. Michael Freedman-trained stablemate Marhoona (Snitzel) was first to the front of the pack in the 850-metre heat and the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes victress was allowed to continue her easy pace in the home straight, even when passed by others.
Approaching the final furlong, Pallaton was allowed to stride forward and take up the lead, going on to score by two and a half lengths, with Insurrection (Russian Revolution) in second and Napoleonic (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in third. Another two-length gap separated them and Marhoona.
Seen for the first time in over a year since sustaining a tendon injury, Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) was next across the line, followed by a Chris Waller trio of Lindermann (Lonhro), Via Sistina (Ire), and Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio), none asked to work too hard.
Pallaton is a homebred for his owner Anthony Gow-Gates, who sent him dam Anevay (Exceed And Excel) to Home Affairs this spring after she missed to the stallion the previous season.
Coco Affair dazzles on debut
John O’Shea and Tom Charlton unveiled a smart 2-year-old at Randwick on Thursday when unleashing Coco Affair (Home Affairs), who danced her way to victory in her first public hit-out. The filly was sent out wide to track leader Hearts Affair (Home Affairs) into the home straight before she could dash forward and take over, with Celestial Charm (Extreme Choice) giving chase to finish second.
There was a two and a half-length gap back to Hearts Affair in third, with G3 Gimcrack Stakes second Screen Icon (Nicconi) over a half-length further back in fourth.
Video: Watch Coco Affair at Randwick trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Coco Affair’s trainers combined with James Bester to purchase her for $260,000 at last year’s Magic Millions sale, where she was offered by Mill Park Stud. Dam Cocoa Doll (More Than Ready {USA}) has also produced Group 3-performed Written Swoosh (Written Tycoon), and is a half-sister to Champion 2YO Away Game (Snitzel) and Listed winner Modern Wonder (Snitzel). Mill Park Stud will offer her Zoustar colt at this year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale as Lot 562, and she visited Switzerland in the spring.
Farnan filly is better by far than opposition
Tulloch Lodge-trained Better By Far (Farnan) lived up to her name when hitting the Randwick turf on Thursday morning. The juvenile filly had run fourth in her trial debut in December, and showed marked improvement to take up the lead early. Upon straightening, she gave her rivals no chance to catch her and dashed away to score victory by over two and a half lengths.
Gimcrack fourth placegetter Oh Yes She Did (Yes Yes Yes) was next across the line, followed by Naadra (Tassort).
Better By Far’s trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds signed the docket for the filly at last year’s Gold Coast sale, paying $180,000 to take her home from Daandine Stud’s draft. She is the first foal of Listed Calaway Gal Stakes winner Better Reflection (Better Than Ready), who had a Zousain filly in the spring before visiting Spirit Of Boom. Capri Racing and Syndication and Peter Snowden paid $130,000 for Better By Far’s half-sister by Russian Revolution on the first day of this week’s sale, where she was offered by Glenbeigh Farm as Lot 102.
Better By Far has made it to the second round of acceptances for the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes.
Half Pipe full force in trial return
Half Pipe’s (Extreme Warrior) pre-Christmas trial had made him one of the more anticipated debutantes over the holiday period, and while he didn’t deliver on debut, his trial at Randwick on Thursday demonstrated he hasn’t shown his best just yet. The Archibald Racing-trained colt sat mid-pack for much of the trial until the closing stages, when Tom Sherry urged him on past Eviction Notice (Stay Inside) to win by a head. First Act (I Am Invincible) - the $1.15 million half to Wodeton - was third by a further neck.
Video: Watch Half Pipe at Randwick trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Offered by Widden Stud at last January’s Gold Coast sale, Half Pipe was a $25,000 purchase for Troy Redden. His G3 Chairman’s Stakes-winning dam Thurlow (Sebring) has a Zousain filly going to Inglis Premier in the draft of Stonehouse Thoroughbreds, as Lot 403, and visited Extreme Warrior again in 2025 after losing her Dirty Work foal.
Half Pipe has made it to the second round of acceptances for both the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes and the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes.
Stretan Ruler out to make autumn statement
Second by a head in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes on debut, Wild Ruler colt Stretan Ruler was back at the trials at Sandown on Thursday and captured the opening heat by an easy long neck over Phillip Stokes-trained stablemate Big Wigs (Gold Standard).
Stretan Ruler as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Stokes Racing and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) paid $220,000 for the half-brother to G2 Danehill Stakes victress Stretan Angel (Harry Angel {Ire}) at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Willow Park Stud. Dam Sretan (Bernadini {USA}) has a full brother to Stretan Angel offered as Lot 462 in Kirks Bridge Farm’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft, and produced a full sister last spring before visiting City Of Troy (USA).
Stretan Ruler is amongst the second declarations for the Blue Diamond Stakes and for the Golden Slipper.
Jadzia jumps on Blue Diamond hype train
Grahame Begg may have a potential Blue Diamond candidate with Ole Kirk filly Jadzia, who stepped out for a trial at Sandown on Thursday morning. The filly camped at the back of the pack for much of the trip, before unleashing a sharp turn of foot in the final furlong to score by a length over early leader Explosive Magic (Pinatubo {Ire}), with Leopard Shark (Churchill {Ire}) a nose away in third.
Flying Start Syndications and Pinhook Bloodstock International (FBAA) paid just $65,000 for the filly from Alma Vale Thoroughbreds’ Magic Millions Gold Coast National Sale draft, and she has made it to the second round of acceptances for both the Blue Diamond and the Golden Slipper. She is a half-sister to five-time winner Big Sky Country (Spirit Of Boom) from the family of G1 Northerly Stakes victor Dom To Shoot (Shooting To Win).
