Juvenile and Spring Trial Watch

Tara Madgwick - Monday September 26

Trials were run at Randwick on Monday morning with one heat for juveniles won by a colt bred to be better at three and an older horse caught our eye that may well be the next stakes-winner for Alligator Blood’s sire All Too Hard.

A homebred for Greg Ingham’s GPI Racing, two year-old Dundeel colt Vomo Island did everything right in his first trial, travelling sweetly for Hugh Bowman on the pace and forging clear to win by more than a length held together.

Advertisement

That’s obviously raw talent as he’s not really bred to be racing before Christmas, but has obviously thrived in the stable of Peter and Paul Snowden to get to this point and that’s a great sign for the future.

Vomo Island is a half-brother to stakes-winner Wayupinthesky from Group II placed Lonhro mare The Darling One, who comes from the family of outstanding sprinter Rain Affair, a multiple Group II winner of over $1.5million.

The Champion Thoroughbreds owners have had a great run with four year-old All Too Hard gelding Pizzaro, who hasn’t missed a place in eight starts and looked impressive with his late closing trial win.

A $150,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Vinery Stud draft for Champion Thoroughbreds and his trainer John O’Shea, Pizarro has been handled patiently and if there is one thing we know about the All Too Hard breed it's that they get better with age.

The road is about to get a lot harder for Pizarro, but he may rise to the challenge! - image Steve Hart

He had four Group I winners last season, all of them aged four or older – Forbidden Love, Behemoth, Alligator Blood and the HK based Wellington.

Pizarro is a four year-old, so the Golden Eagle is no doubt the dream goal, but the $1million Silver Eagle (1300m) on October 8 might be the indicator as to whether that dream is achievable.

Click here to see all the trial results at Breednet with sale Mail and at Racing NSW with video.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Yulong Winner at Otaki
Yulong has wasted little time in making a mark on New Zealand racing this spring, and those emerald green and white colours were carried to another feature-race win by Azeezle in Sunday’s Levin Truck Services Levin Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.
Savabeel Colt Wins G3 Wellington Stakes
Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh won the Gr.3 Jennian Homes Wellington Stakes (1600m) for the fifth time at Otaki on Sunday with emerging talent Ammirati, but this was a win unlike any other.
Reliable Man Bargain Buy Wins Cromwell Cup
Peachy Keen capped a super-consistent spring campaign with a last-gasp victory in Sunday’s $50,000 Happy Hire Cromwell Cup (2030m).
All Too Hard's Pizarro Breaks Through
Following seconds at Hawkesbury and Canterbury to kick-start his career, it was third time lucky for the John O'Shea-trained Pizarro at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. However, he would not have wanted one metre further than the 1300m.  
Savabeel Mare Primed for G1 on Saturday
Stephen Marsh has his sights set on further feature-race success, with his proven performer Provence confirmed for Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham.
One To Watch - Randwick
John O'Shea has resisted the temptation to tackle stakes races with the 4-year-old gelding Pizarro, but there could be a nice race over the Spring Carnival for the progressive son of All Too Hard.
Stakes Double for Westbury Stud Sires
New stakes winners for resident stallions Redwood and Tarzino were celebrated by Westbury Stud at the weekend.
2025 Japan Cup Winner - Aga Khan Gelding a World Beater
Aga Khan Studs don’t race a lot of geldings, but one that they do is Calandagan, who has taken giant strides in 2025 to become the Cartier European Horse of the Year and on Sunday he achieved the almost unthinkable with a history making win in the Group I Japan Cup (2400m).
15 Saturday Stakes Races Out of Season
Last Saturday in Australia there were an astonishing 15 stakes races run in a time period most trainers see as being out of season, barring the Perth Summer Carnival, when we consider that our elite horses are programmed towards spring and autumn, so what is going on?
Sires With Winners - Monday December 1
Here is the full list of 14 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.