Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Napoleonic comes in hot
Having freshened since his Queensland carnival exploits, Group 3-winning Wootton Bassett (GB) son Napoleonic hurtled home to win the first Group heat of the morning at Randwick on Monday. The John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained 3-year-old had a fitness edge on his rivals and let down impressively to win by five and a quarter lengths over Ninja (Farnan).
Having her first trial back for the preparation, Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) was next in at the top of a Chris Waller-trained trio. Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) and dual Guineas winner Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) followed her home.
Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ) sourced Napoleonic from Widden Stud’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft, where he paid $360,000 for the colt on behalf of Pinecliff Racing. Napoleonic is one of seven winners for four-time winner Jolie Brise (Fastnet Rock) who was fourth in the G1 MRC 1000 Guineas. Jolie Brise's other Group winner is G3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes winner Ready Set Sail (More Than Ready {USA}), dam of Group-performed Vestas (Toronado {Ire}).
Jolie Brise is in foal to Zousain for this spring.
Barnavara resumes in style
High-priced mare purchase Barnavara (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) emerged triumphant from the second Group trial of Monday morning. The Chris Waller-trained 4-year-old got the lead from the jump and came home strongly under her own steam to win by two and three quarter lengths over stablemate Wootton Verni (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}).
G2 Brisbane Cup winner Campaldino (NZ) (Ghibellines) was next, with Aeliana (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) a length and a half away in fourth for her first trial back. Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) rounded out the field.
The 4.8 million gns (AU$10.1 million) Tattersalls December Mare Sale last year, Barnavara won the G1 Prix de l'Opera prior to her purchase and export by Yulong. She had one start during the autumn, finishing fourth in the G2 Neville Sellwood Stakes.
A multiple Group winner even before her Prix de l'Opera win, Barnavara is from the immediate family of global stallion Lope De Vega (Ire) and G1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis winner Danceteria (Fr) (Redoute’s Choice).
Screen Icon beats the older horses in trial return
Group-performed 2-year-old Screen Icon (Nicconi) was first past the post in the third Group trial at Randwick on Monday. The John Thompson-trained filly was hot out of the gates and put a large margin on the older horses before settling in the home straight, winning from G3 Adrian Knox Stakes winner Profoundly (Farnan) by half a length.
Soulcombe (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who hasn’t been seen at the races since a second placed finish in the 2023 G1 Melbourne Cup, was third ahead of last start G1 Sydney Cup runner-up Soul Of Spain (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}).
An $80,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase for her trainer, Screen Icon is still a maiden, but she does have two handy second placings in the G3 Gimcrack Stakes and G2 Sweet Embrace Stakes to her credit.
She is the second foal out of Screebe (Star Witness), a half-sister to South African Group performer Newlands (High Chaparral {Ire}), out of a half-sister to Vancouver. Screebe sadly passed last year after delivering a filly by Pride Of Dubai.
Steel Will makes sharp comeback
The first open juvenile trial at Randwick on Monday was won by Chris Waller-trained Steel Will (I Am Invincible) sporting the Go Bloodstock colours. Jumping from the outside, the colt worked his way patiently to the front before sprinting home, too fast for Moonlight Wings (Maurice {Jpn}) to catch. Eilymac (D’Argento) was third.
Video: Watch Steel Will in Heat 7 at Randwick trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
A homebred for Go Bloodstock, Steel Will is a half to G3 Magic Night Stakes winner Steel City (Merchant Navy) and dual Group 1 winner September Run (Exceed And Excel), out of the Group 3 winner Pittsburgh Flyer (Street Cry {Ire}). Steel Will had two outings in the autumn, running third on debut at Warwick Farm before finishing seventh in the G3 Kindergarten Stakes won by Blue Door (Stay Inside).
Pittsburgh Flyer has a soon-to-be 2-year-old filly by Snitzel to come, and missed to Home Affairs this season.
Wendell ready to resume
In the following heat, Wendell (Written Tycoon) recorded a win for his third trial of the preparation. The Tulloch Lodge-trained gelding used the full 1050 metres to build momentum and slowly pull away from the pack, scoring victory by an impressive seven and a half lengths.
Zynaro (Zoustar) was second, with three quarters of a length back to Epic Legend (Castelvecchio) in third.
Video: Watch Wendell in Heat 8 at Randwick trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
A $450,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for his trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds from Yulong, Wendell is the second foal out of the impeccably bred A Little Jewel (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}).
A Little Jewel is a half-sister to European Champion 3YO Stayer and sire Rule Of Law (USA), as well as the dams and grandams of G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Feed The Flame (GB), G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes winner Honor Marie (USA) (Honor Code {USA}), G3 Chartwell Stakes winner Tomyris (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), and multiple Group winner Sacred Life (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}). She delivered a Written Tycoon filly in 2025 before visiting More Than Looks (USA).
Wanda’s Spark goes back to back
A trial winner at the beginning of July, Michael Freedman-trained Wanda’s Spark (Tagaloa) was strong to the line in her second trial on Monday at Randwick. The juvenile filly sat at the rear of the field until the home straight, then rounded the pack and came home fast to win by three quarters of a length over Lorax (Zoustar), with Astaire Legend (Dundeel {NZ}) in third.
Retained to race by her breeder Yulong, Wanda’s Spark is the first foal out of Group 3-winning Wandabaa (Wandjina). She has a yearling sister also by Tagaloa and a weanling brother by Pierata. Spicer Thoroughbreds bought the former at the Gold Coast in January for $400,000.
Video: Watch Wanda's Spark in Heat 9 at Randwick trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Wandabaa, an $800,000 Inglis Digital purchase for the Tagaloa Syndicate, is one of three stakes winners for her dam Mabkhara (Anabaa {USA}), who also produced Malkovich (Choisir) and multiple Group winner Olentia (Zoustar). The latter sold to Wathnan Racing in 2025 for $2.6 million via a Magic Millions virtual sale. Wandabaa was served by Pierata again in the spring.
Ignition Code smokes Stay Inside brethren
The first 745-metre juvenile trial at Randwick on Monday featured a Stay Inside quinella, but the margin between the two was three and three quarter lengths. Ignition Code crossed the line first for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, coming in hot from the top of the straight, with G3 Breeders’ Plate winner Incognito quickening well late to finish second.
Video: Watch Ignition Code in Heat 13 at Randwick trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Ignition Code had been a $380,000 Gold Coast purchase for his trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds when offered by Segenhoe Stud. He is the third foal out of Isa Rocket (Fastnet Rock), a winning half-sister to G2 Golden Pendant winner Vangelic (Vancouver).
Isa Rocket’s yearling Dundeel (NZ) filly and weanling Harry Angel (Ire) filly were both sold this year at the Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale and the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, making $7000 and $6000 each. She missed in 2025.
Agrarian Girl continues Tulloch Lodge heat
Ignition Code’s stablemate Agrarian Girl (Tassort) was equally hot in the next heat when winning by four and a quarter lengths. The Listed Lonhro Plate-winning filly put the pressure on early and extended her lead in the home straight, with Enshooda (Zoustar) giving chase to finish second. Two further lengths separated her from Thoughtful Kiss (So You Think {NZ}) in third.
Video: Watch Agrarian Girl in Heat 14 at Randwick trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Agrarian Girl was purchased for $280,000 from the 2025 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale by her trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds, from the Emirates Park draft.
She is the first foal out of the dual Listed winner Liwa (Mulaazem), who is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Coleman, who has also placed in the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes and the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes. Agrarian Girl’s fourth dam is the outstanding mare Canny Lass (Bletchingly), a dual Group 1 winner and an influential broodmare. Liwa’s second foal is a Harry Angel filly delivered last November.
Shiki scorches in return trial
Sent to the paddock after a Golden Slipper that did not go to plan, G3 Gimcrack Stakes winner Shiki (Too Darn Hot {GB}) was back in form at the Randwick trials on Monday morning. The Tulloch Lodge-trained filly showed her sharp gate speed at the jump and kicked again in the home straight to win by two and three quarter lengths over Group-performed Outspan (Bivouac).
Video: Watch Shiki in Heat 15 at Randwick trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Bred by Cornerstone Stud and Millar Racing, Shiki was a $420,000 Gold Coast purchase for Kurrinda Bloodstock and the Waterhouse-Bott team from the draft of Riverstone Lodge, who bought her as a weanling with Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) for $150,000. She is the fourth and best foal from Jest Excel (Exceed and Excel), a three-time Queensland provincial winner and a half-sister to G2 Maribyrnong Plate winner Jiang (Testa Rossa).
Jest Excel has a yearling filly by Ole Kirk, who sold for $380,000 at the Gold Coast this year to Rapid Equine Breeding, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and Kestrel Thoroughbreds. She was covered last December by Artorius.
