Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Robusto ruffles a few feathers in the opener
It was the Bjorn Baker-trained Group 2 winner Robusto (Churchill {Ire}) who was the sharpest over 900 metres at Rosehill, in a trial field packed with classy gallopers, with Nash Rawiller aboard.
Rawiller went straight to the lead on Robusto, while the smart sprinter Jokers Grin (Maschino) was keen after being taken a hold of by Adam Hyeronimus in second. Cambridge Stud's star mare Joliestar (Zoustar) settled towards the rear of the field.
Not a lot changed throughout the trial, with Robusto cruising to victory by just over a length and a half, ahead of Jokers Grin in second and King Of Sparta (I Am Invincible) in third.
Ninja (Farnan) was a real eye-catcher, making lovely ground late out wide for fourth under a hold, with his work through the line particularly impressive. James McDonald never let the Zoustar mare Jolistar off the bridle and she finished sixth.
Video: Watch Robusto at Rosehill Trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
“After the Missile, he went out to the farm for 10-12 days just on the treadmill each morning then out in the paddock for the day,'' Trainer Michael Freedman told Racingandsports.
“So, he had a nice mental freshen up more than anything and he came back in 'bouncing'.”
“He (Robusto) had a nice mental freshen up more than anything and he came back in 'bouncing'.” - Michael Freedman
Freedman said the trial will ready Ninja for his next start in the Group 2 $1 million The Shorts over 1100 metres at Royal Randwick in just under two weeks.
“The plan at this stage would be to go to The Shorts and the Premiere Stakes into The Everest.”
Waller revealed Joliestar returned from England in very good order and the brilliant mare has had two "easy'' trials ahead of her return to racing in The Shorts.
“Joliestar has come back really well, a little bit ahead of where I thought,'' Waller told Racingandsports.
“She had a couple of weeks off in England, then had a quiet time at Canterbury in quarantine before she went to the farm for a week.
“She is ready to go for The Shorts and then hopefully into The Everest if that is the way we choose to go with her.”
“She (Joliestar) is ready to go for The Shorts and then hopefully into The Everest if that is the way we choose to go with her.” - Chris Waller
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The trial winner Robusto was purchased by Darby Bloodstock for $160,000 from the 2024 Inglis Digital September Sale.
Robusto is the third foal out of She’s Clean (Redoute’s Choice), a top-class mare who won 10 races, including the G3 Tibbie Stakes, Listed Triscay Stakes and Listed June Stakes.
She’s Clean is a three-quarter-sister to the Group 1-winning Redoute’s Choice mares Abbey Marie and Absolutely, while the G1 Doncaster Mile winner Nettoyer (Sebring) also features prominently in the pedigree.
In recent years, She’s Clean has produced a 4-year-old mare named Artgirl (Flying Artie) that has been placed on the track, a 3-year-old filly named Movie Star by Maurice (Jpn) who has been placed on the track, and has left a 2-year-old colt by Justify (USA) before she was retired from stud duties.
Hidden Motive back in style
The Nathan Doyle-trained 4-year-old horse Hidden Motive (Capitalist) wasn’t at his best during a short autumn campaign, but showed that time has helped him with an authoritative trial victory over 1030 metres in 1.02.10, clearly the fastest time of the day over that distance.
He showed good natural improvement off his first trial at Gosford, where he ran fourth behind Skyhook (Written Tycoon) late last month, and now looks ready for a first-up sprinting assignment.
Regan Bayliss took Hidden Motive straight to the front and rolled along at a decent tempo, with Aerodrome (Ole Kirk) settling on the outer and maintaining enough pressure racing keenly. The well-performed Taken (NZ) (Ardrossan) was a little keen in the trial, while Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) followed him on the inside.
Video: Watch Hidden Motive at Rosehill Trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Hidden Motive kicked nicely at the top of the straight and scored by a length and a half from Taken, who was bold in the hands of Chad Schofield, while Gringotts put in a brilliant trial in third, just under three lengths behind the winner and travelling in style under minimal pressure from Nash Rawiller.
The winner Hidden Motive was bred and sold by Cressfield, with Doyle Racing and Kurrinda Bloodstock spending $120,000 on him at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Hidden Motive is a son of G1 Robert Sangster Stakes winner Secret Agenda (Not A Single Doubt), who is a three-quarter-sister to the Group 1-performed Tutta La Vita (The Autumn Sun), who was purchased for $3,200,000 by Resolute Racing at the 2024 Inglis Chairman's Sale.
Hidden Motive | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Some other extended family members include the dual Group 3-winner Enthaar (Written Tycoon) and the Group 3-winner Jasmin Rouge (Dundeel {NZ}).
Secret Agenda sadly died in late 2024, but has left the smart Covert Action (Home Affairs), who won last season as a juvenile, and has a Zoustar 2-year-old filly who was purchased by Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) for $400,000 at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
General Salute’s again
The ever-consistent 6-year-old gelding General Salute (Russian Revolution) was in great form throughout the winter, picking up the Listed Winter Stakes and a couple more Listed placings.
The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trianed gelding showed he is ready for the early spring with two trial wins at Hawkesbury just over a week ago, before producing another stylish performance over 1030 metres in the hands of Tim Clark at Rosehill on Tuesday.
Azarax (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) led up under Dylan Gibbons, while Clark was content to let General Salute sit in second but wide with no cover. Santana (Ole Kirk) settled into the one-one with nice cover provided by General Salute.
Video: Watch General Salute at Rosehill Trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Azarax kicked strongly after being asked by Gibbons, but General Salute loomed up under no pressure at the 100 metres, travelled much stronger and scored narrowly by a nose, but in style.
Santana lobbed into third, just over a length from the first two, with Art Volant (Flying Artie) putting in a nice trial in fourth.
General Salute is one of four winners out of the three-time winner and Listed-placed Star Salute (General Nediym), who has also left the Group 2-winner Brutality (Shamus Award), alongside General Salute, who has now won at Group 3 and Listed level.
General Salute | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
This is also the family of the Listed winners Flying Princess (Flying Spur) and her dam Be My Princess (Chief's Crown {USA}).
Star Salute, in recent times, has left a 3-year-old filly named Shemesh (The Autumn Sun), who is in training with Mark Walker in Victoria, and a yearling colt by Russian Revolution.
Reachin’ Out stretches out nicely
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained 3-year-old filly Reachin’ Out (Stay Inside) showed her customary dash to take out her trial by a length over 1030 metres in the hands of Tim Clark.
The speedy Stay Inside filly led with ease, with Sarrismo (I Am Invincible) working out wide to eventually settle second on the outer.
The pair carried on with their runs and finished first and second, with the Chris Waller-trained Jasmin Rouge (Dundeel {NZ}) an eye-catching trial in third in the Sheamus Mills Bloodstock colours after sneaking a few runs nearer the inside in the hands of James McDonald.
Video: Watch Reachin' Out at Rosehill Trials, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Reachin’ Out was purchased for $400,000 by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Element Hill draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale.
Reachin’ Out is the half-sister to the Group 2 winner and three-time Group 1-placed and Widden Stud sire Zousain, and is the last foal out of the Irish and American stakes-winner Pasar Silbano (Ire) (Elnadim {USA}).
Reachin’ Out as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Reachin’ Out is one of thirteen winners for her now second-season sire Stay Inside, who has already sired the stakes winners Incognito, Blue Door, The Machine Gun and Lassified from only 36 of his progeny to hit the track.
Spicy Martini brilliant on the ‘GC’
The Toby Edmonds-trained Spicy Martini (Justify {USA}) was last seen on the track when winning the G1 Stradbroke Handicap in mid-June, and she showed she has returned in great fashion as a 5-year-old mare with a brilliant trial victory over 1000 metres at the Gold Coast in the hands of her regular partner Taylor Marshall.
There was plenty of speed early, with Ististar (Better Than Ready) leading up from Rose Of Shiraz (Deep Field), who kept her honest on the outer, while the $4,000,000 earner Yellow Brick Road (The Mission) settled in the trial and Spicy Martini dropped back to last.
Ististar kicked strongly before Yellow Brick Road ran on strongly, but it was Spicy Martini who showed a brilliant turn of foot to claim victory in sharp fashion by just over half a length from Yellow Brick Road, with Ististar just behind in third.
It was a brilliant return by the Group 1-winning mare, who looks ready for whatever targets she is set this spring.
Edmonds Racing purchased Spicy Martini for $8000 on Inglis Digital as a yearling from Coolmore Stud.
Spicy Martini is the best of four winners out of Group-performer Extra Olives (Redoute’s Choice), a granddaughter of Champion 3-year-old filly Alinghi (Encosta De Lago) from a family featuring Beneteau and Extreme Warrior’s talented Listed winner Eternal Warrior.
Spicy Martini | Image courtesy of Racing QLD
Bjorn Baker Racing and Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) had to dig a little deeper in their pockets to purchase Extra Olives’ Home Affairs filly, who is now named Sipsong, at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale this year, outlaying $350,000 for her.
The late Extra Olives’ last foal is a yearling filly by St Mark’s Basilica (Fr).
