Juvenile summary: Hidrix and Chilly Girl deliver chills at Rosehill

Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

Hidrix justifies seven figure price tag in Canonbury debut

He caused a stir at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale last year, and Hidrix (Extreme Choice) made sure to cause a stir again on his race track debut at Rosehill on Saturday in the G3 Canonbury Stakes. The grey, trained by Chris Waller in the colours of B2B Thoroughbreds, jumped from the inside barrier and settled a pair back from early leader Eviction Notice (Stay Inside) under the steady handy of Zac Lloyd.

Incognito (Stay Inside) and Confederation (Wootton Bassett {GB}) loomed in the beginning of the straight as the possible quinella, but Lloyd deftly threaded Hidrix through a gap in the centre of the field and the colt accelerated home to win by a length and three quarters over Confederation, with Eviction Notice in third.

“They've both got bright futures,” said Waller, who also trained the runner-up. “I said, 'ride them to finish off', and that's how they were ridden and they finished off very well.

“Hidrix is a lovely horse. Ricky Surace (B2B Thoroughbreds) and his son, they're smart and astute judges of horses, and they liked him and we liked him. We joined up and got some good people into the ownership. We're going to have some fun.

“We have given him two educational trials. We haven't asked him to do anything. What you saw today is more than what I've seen.”

“He's a lovely colt,” said Lloyd. “He's just bombproof, he does everything right. He travelled really well today, he was extremely push-button. It's good to repay the owners of this expensive colt with a nice win first-time out.”

With the win, Hidrix has firmed into equal favouritism for the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes in March at $8. He is the 18th individual stakeswinner for his sire Extreme Choice.

Sales: Offered by Coolmore Stud on behalf of breeder Kate Nivison, Hidrix was a $1.7 million at Inglis Easter for Chris Waller Racing, Mulcaster Bloodstock, and B2B Thoroughbreds.

Pedigree: Hidrix is a full brother to G1 Flight Stakes victress Apocalyptic (Extreme Choice) out of Shadow (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), a full sister to multiple Group performer Geist. Shadow’s second dam is dual Group 1 winner Virage De Fortune (Anabaa {USA}). She delivered a Pierro filly in 2025, before revisiting Extreme Choice.

Chilly Girl gives no quarter in ice cold Widden demolition

A field of 10 jumped for the G3 Widden Stakes half an hour after the Canonbury, and it was Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou’s Chilly Girl (Trapeze Artist) who was quickest out of the gates, going straight to the front. Tim Clark did not need to give the filly much assistance to maintain her pace, even with Miss Scandal (NZ) (Home Affairs) looming over her shoulder to the outside.

Rounding the turn, Clark’s filly never took a backwards step and pulled away from the pack, fending off a late charge by Miss Chanel (Tagaloa) to get her head over the line first by a long neck. Hardanger (Pinatubo {Ire}) was third, two and a half lengths behind second.

“That was really impressive,” said Sterling Alexiou. “I was hoping she'd get it a bit softer than that, but J-Mac pressed the button on his (Miss Scandal) coming out of the gates and applied quite a bit of pressure throughout.

“She was good enough and seasoned enough to kick away and hold a bit of a margin late. I'm really happy to see her do that at her first start.

“I expected her to put a bit of a kick in, but I was a bit worried (after) how much work she'd done in the early half of the race that she could be a bit vulnerable. Gai's horse (Miss Chanel) was fit chasing, but she is a quality filly.”

Clark, who also trialled Chilly Girl, was pleased with how relaxed the filly felt on debut.

“She's a really sweet filly to ride, she has a great mindset and that will take her a long way,” he said.

Sales: Chilly Girl is a homebred for Bert Vieira, who also bred and raced her sire Trapeze Artist.

Pedigree: Chilly Girl is the final foal of I Got Chills (General Nediym), winner of the Listed Maribyrnong Trial and the Listed St Albans Stakes at her first two starts. Chilly Girl is her first stakes winner, granting her a perfect record of 10 foals to the track for 10 winners. The close family includes stakes-winning sprinter Rise ‘N’ Shine (Luskin Star) and G2 Pago Pago Stakes-performed Code (Marauding {NZ}).

Chilly Girl is the 10th stakes winner for Widden Stud’s Trapeze Artist, and his second juvenile stakes winner after Where’s The Circus earlier this season.

Big Sky lays down Diamond gauntlet in Chairman’s masterclass

The big money came for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr’s Big Sky (Bivouac), and punters were well justified in making the colt the antepost favourite in the G3 Chairman’s Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday, where he put on a speed masterclass while carrying 59kg in a field otherwise carrying 57kg and 55kg.

The same weight feat was accomplished by Extreme Choice - also trained by Price - exactly 10 years ago en route to a G1 Blue Diamond Stakes victory, and the Bivouac colt put his hand up to repeat the effort with a domineering performance leading the field wire to wire.

Invincible Son (Farnan) got the closest to him, but was unable to catch Big Sky’s late burst of speed when Ben Melham took the handbrake off, finishing second by three lengths, with La Gitana (Home Affairs) - half-sister to 2018 Chairman’s victress Ennis Hill (Fastnet Rock) - a half-length further back in third. It was a second victory in two starts for the colt bearing the lightning silks of Rupert Legh, carried by the likes of Brutal (NZ) and Chautauqua (Encosta De Lago).

“Gee, he’s quite green,” Price said. "I think a furlong out, he was clocking off,. That’s probably a good sign. The greater pressure of a Blue Diamond, I’m assuming, won’t do him any harm. He’ll have a good three weeks, and he’ll turn up in a Blue Diamond.”

All the same, Price indicated that stablemate Guest House (Home Affairs) currently felt like the stronger Diamond hopeful.

“My feel would be Guesthouse would be a better horse, but race day tells all,” he said. “I think Guesthouse has got very good capacity about him, I just feel that he has, but we've got to see it. But I just feel there's a lot there. Good to have some depth in the squad.”

“Great moving horse, good body horse, lovely type of colt," Melham said. "Good head on his shoulders, but he's just got to iron out a couple of things. He's heading the right direction, and if he continues, he's certainly going to be one of the leading chances anyway.”

Sales: Mick Price Racing signed the docket for $140,000 for Big Sky at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Eureka Stud.

Pedigree: Big Sky is the third winner from three to race for Zoom By (Red Dazzler), a four-time winning half-sister to juvenile stakes winner Firenza (Kenny’s Best Pal), dam of dual Group 3 winner Tuscan Sling (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), and blue hen Beauty World (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) whose five stakes winners include stallions Ducimus and Hi World.

Eureka Stud will offer Big Sky’s half-sister by Spirit Of Boom at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in a week’s time as Lot 607. Zoom By produced a colt by Spirit Of Boom in 2025, before visiting Bivouac’s barnmate Anamoe.

Homebred Liguria delivers in Colin Jillings

Cambridge Stud’s homebred Liguria (NZ) (Snitzel) brought things full circle for trainer Lance Noble on Saturday when producing a strong win at her second start in the G3 Collin Jillings 2YO Classic at Ellerslie on Saturday. Noble had trained her dam Vernazza (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}) to win the G2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes, and he has now turned the mare’s first foal into a stakes winner.

Fourth on debut on Boxing Day, Liguria was much more prepared for a second up assault when heading to stakes company and jumped smartly to follow pacemaker Harvey Wallbanger (NZ) (Home Affairs) into the race. When the gelding assumed the lead in the home straight, Liguria was able to sneak around him and attack within the final furlong, winning by a short neck.

“She is bred to be good being the first foal out of Vernazza,” Noble said. “It certainly ages you a little bit when you are training the daughters and granddaughters. She is not very big, but is supremely athletic and has that will to win. There is not much of her so we will have to nurse her along.

“She does have a great attitude, a real sweetie, and is very popular around the stable. We came here with a little bit of confidence after her first up run and she is only going to get better.

“I’m just thrilled for everybody at the farm which keeps the roll going for them after a wonderful yearling sale.“

Liguria will now attempt to replicate her dam’s feat in the Matamata Breeders’ on February 14.

Sales: Liguria is a homebred for Brett and Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud.

Pedigree: The 166th stakes winner for the late Snitzel, Liguria is the first foal from the accomplished Vernazza, a half-sister to G1 Queensland Derby winner Pinarello (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and Listed Counties Challenge Stakes winner Bavella (NZ) (Snitzel).

Vernazza has a yearling filly by Proisir to follow, and was served in 2025 by Chaldean (GB).

Ole says Go at Morphettville

Michael Hickmott unleashed a new star for Ole Kirk in the fourth race on the Morphettville card on Saturday, where sharp colt Ole Go repeated the performance from his trial a fortnight ago to win the $65,000 2YO Handicap.

Jumping as the favourite in the four-horse field, the colt dashed to the front and turned his rivals into mere followers to win by a comfortable two lengths over Big Wigs (Gold Standard), with a further two lengths back to third.

Sales: Vinery Stud offered Ole Go at last year’s Inglis Easter sale, where he was bought for $250,000 by Michael Hickmott Bloodstock.

Pedigree: Ole Go is the first foal from dual winner Dana Point (I Am Invincible) whose dam is a full sister to G1 TJ Smith Stakes winner Master Of Design and a half to G1 Premier's Champion Stakes winner Suntagonal (Octagonal {NZ}). This is also the close family of the South African Champion 2YO Filly and top producer Tracy’s Element (Last Tycoon {Ire}) and Danasinga.

Vinery Stud will offer a full sister to Ole Go as Lot 740 at this year’s Inglis Classic sale. Dana Point produced a filly by Stay Inside in the spring, before being covered by St Mark’s Basilica (Fr).