European Bluebloods Step Out at Trials

Tara Madgwick - Monday February 20

Our trial stories tend to focus on the up and coming juveniles, but the first trial at Randwick on Monday morning for staying types was notable for featuring the 2022 Epsom Derby runner up and the 2022 Irish Oaks winner.

Advertisement

The 1250m heat was won by John Sargent’s progressive staying mare Gin Martini (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle ), who won the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) last spring and she got the verdict over the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained pair - Sir Lucan (IRE) (Camelot)  and Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories)

Not seen since finishing 14th behind Verry Ellegant in the 2021 Melbourne Cup, Sir Lucan is the full brother to ill-fated Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet and was most competitive when racing in Ireland and the UK with a Listed win at 2600m and several Group placings.

Hoo Ya Mal was second in the Epsom Derby and then purchased by clients of the Waterhouse Bott stable to contest last year’s Melbourne Cup in which he finished 12th to Gold Trip.

This was the second trial this preparation for both Sir Lucan and Hoo Ya Mal, so expect to see them back at the races sooner rather than later.

Interesting runner was quality Galileo mare Magical Lagoon, who won the Group I Irish Oaks last year and the Group II Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot for Yulong.

She was sent to Japan for a Group I mares race at the end of last year only to finish last and is now being trained by Chris Waller.

Magical Lagoon wasn’t asked to do much in this first outing by Kathy O’Hara and has never raced in anything shorter than a mile, so it will be interesting to see how she progresses.

We’ve had a couple of Epsom Derby winners to race in Australia in Serpentine (IRE) and the ill-fated Anthony Van Dyke (IRE), also Irish Derby winner Latrobe (IRE)  ran in a Melbourne Cup, but I can’t recall an Oaks winner such as Magical Lagoon, who was bought as a yearling by Yulong for 305,000 guineas at the Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 23
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Tarzino Stayer Wins G3 Geelong Cup
Trainer Paul Preusker will get another tilt at a Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) after Torranzino ran out a strong winner of the Gr.3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on Thursday.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
The Rosehill trials on Friday morning featured a couple of juvenile heats and both winners came out of the Widden Stud draft at Magic Millions with one topping the sale at $2.8million and the other selling for a modest $150,000.
Breeding To Win – 2025 G1 MVRC Cox Plate
An emotional week in Australasian racing approaches its crescendo as we count down to the final Cox Plate before a radical new era in its history begins and we mourn the passing of one of its greatest champions.
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.
Coolmore Favs get the Flemington Straight Experience in Jump Outs
Beiwacht, Beadman and Skyhook, three of the top four in the market for next month’s Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes had a jump out down the Flemington straight on Friday with Beadman quite the eye-catcher.
$400,000 Invincible Filly a Grand Investment
A three-quarter sister-in-blood to dual Group I winning mare Charm Stone, stakes-placed I Am Invincible filly Naifah always looked well bought at the 2025 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $400,000.
A Century of NZB National Yearling Sales Success: Cox Plate
Moonee Valley’s A$6m Group One WS Cox Plate (2040m) is known as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia and has been won by many of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest thoroughbreds.
One to Watch – Mornington
In Cox Plate week it only seems fitting that the 2013 winner Shamus Award would give us a ‘One to Watch’ at Mornington on Thursday.
$140,000 NZB Ready to Run Graduate Books Ticket to G1 Victoria Derby
Bred for stamina being by Melbourne Cup winner Shoicking from a daughter of Tavistock, talented Kiwi bred three-year-old Azazel has booked his passage for the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) on Saturday week after a tough victory in the Listed Roderick Insurance Brokers 3YO Geelong Classic (2200m) at Geelong on Thursday.