Juvenile Trial Watch - Randwick

Tara Madgwick - Tuesday March 7

The barrier trials at Randwick on Tuesday morning held plenty of interest with G1 winners Lion’s Roar and In the Congo both winning heats as well as star sprinters Lost and Running and Shades of Rose, but we’re interested in the juveniles and in particular King’s Gambit.

King's Gambit has plenty of ability, but will that translate to G1 success - image Grant Courtney

The I Am Invincible colt won his debut in a stakes race in Melbourne last spring by daylight to be installed Golden Slipper favourite, but two runs since can only be described as OK, but in context were disappointing. Second to Red Resistance in the Group III ATC Canonbury Stakes and then third in the Group II ATC Silver Slipper to Cylinder.

Advertisement

In the trial, the Peter and Paul Snowden trained colt was ridden quietly from the gates by Mark Zahra and restrained well back in the field with cover, which was a new scenario for him. When angled into the clear over the final furlongs, he showed a brilliant change of gear to zoom home and win running away.

Its going to be very interesting to see if those tactics come out on race day and maybe find him the length and a half he needs to get back to winning form against the elite.

King’s Gambit has a half-sister by Snitzel to be offered by Newgate at Inglis Easter as Lot 392.

Two Exceed and Excel colts fought out the finish of the next heat with Fludway, who finished fifth on debut in the Listed MRC Merson Cooper to Little Brose and Cylinder, edging out unraced colt The Pacific.

Trained by Michael Freedman, Fludway was a modest $110,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Michael Freedman Racing / Julian Blaxland Bloodstock from the Torryburn Stud draft and is a three-quarter brother-in-blood to this season’s stakes-winning juvenile Zulfiqar from Apamurra (USA).

An import with Aussie bloodlines, Apamurra is a half-sister by Lonhro to blue hen Essaouira, the dam of Group I winners Alizee and Astern. Torryburn Stud will offer the half-brother to Fludway by I Am Invincible at Inglis Easter as Lot 27.

Another trial winner for Russian Revolution in the next heat with James McDonald steering the Peter and Paul Snowed trained colt The King to victory at his second trial.

The King ran last at his first trial when he jumped fairly and followed them around, but he was a lot more motivated this time and is clearly making progress.

A $320,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Sledmere Stud draft for Trilogy Racing/CB Bloodstock, The King was bred by China Horse Club and is from Why Be Discreet, a winning half-sister to stakes-winners I’m Discreet, Very Discreet and Forever Discreet.

He has a half-sister by Pride of Dubai to be offered at the Adelaide Magic Millions by the Chase as Lot 408.

Lot 408 MM Adelaide

Additional 2YO heat winners at 742m were: Critique (Written Tycoon) and Dipsy Doodle (Lonhro)

Click here for all the trial results at Breednet with Sale Mail and at Racing NSW with video.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Navy King sails to Valley victory
A well-judged front-running ride by Daniel Stackhouse has aided five-year-old gelding Navy King to claim the lion’s share of the prize in the MSC Signs Handicap (2040m) at The Valley on Saturday.
Wootton Bassett Juvenile G2 Double
Wootton Bassett (GB) featured in Ireland overnight at The Curragh with two stakes-winning juveniles, Constitution River taking out the the Group II Futurity (7f), while the Group II Debutante (7f) went to the filly Composing, who comes from the family of Amelia’s Jewel.
Via Sistina Joins Two Group One Legends
Via Sistina is certainly in rare air and if you want another stat to put her in perspective – yesterday’s Winx Stakes win saw her become one of only three horses in the last 40 years to win eight Group One races in a 12-month period.
First Stakes Success For Cafe Millenium
While having just turned 5, former Sydneysider Cafe Millenium (Not A Single Doubt), who now calls Lindsay Park home, broke through for his first black type victory on Saturday, winning the Listed SAJC Leon Macdonald Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville in impressive fashion.
Winning Return for the Best in Australia - Via Sistina
Set to be crowned Australia’s Horse of the Year for last season, the mighty Fastnet Rock mare Via Sistina (IRE) returned on a rain soaked track at Randwick on Saturday to win the $1million Group I ATC Winx Stakes (1400m).
Kings Gambit Wins G2 Roman Consul
Super talented I Am Invincible colt King’s Gambit delivered on potential at Rosehill on Saturday zooming up the fence to win the Group II ATC Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) from a wall of pursuers.
Hard To Cross swoops to Valley win
Six-year-old gelding Hard To Cross was aided by the three-kilo claim of Rose Hammond as the Kiwi bred landed his first victory of the preparation when landing the Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap (1523m).
Sires With Winners - Saturday August 23
Here is the full list of 106 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Idyllic Prince Stakes - Phanta Leads a Sweet Trifecta for Gingerbread Man
Yarradale Stud's senior stallion Gingerbread Man achieved a rare career high for any sire when the son of Shamardal provided the trifecta in Saturday's Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes over 1300m at Belmont Park.
Best On Breeding
If it thrills you to see the progeny of top-class mares taking their formative steps, then you are in for a treat with the runnings of the Group III Canonbury Stakes and Group III Widden Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.