Two Group races for two-year-olds on Day One of The Championships at Randwick on Saturday, highlighted by the $1,000,000 Group 1 Inglis ATC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m), but we will search for a winner in the Group III Widden Stud Kindergarten Stakes (1100m).
First-season stallion Trapeze Artist has two solid chances to do the right thing by the sponsor and record his first stakes-winner.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained colt Tumbling impressed on debut with a two lengths win at Ballarat on March 14.
That's wiped off $15,000 of his $650,000 purchase from the Vinery Stud draft at the Gold Coast. He is the second most expensive Trapeze Artist yearling sold at public auction.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Introducing cost roughly half that when knocked down to James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership for $380,000 from the Edinburgh Park draft at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Also carrying the Harron Bloodstock colours is the I Am Invincible colt Godfather, a $1.1million Magic Millions purchase from the Yarraman Park consignment at the Magic Millions.
Introducing has impressed in two starts but may be racing for his manhood on Saturday. He ran greenly when winning at Warwick Farm on debut and again when fourth to the future Golden Slipper hero Shinzo in the Group III Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.
The son of Trapeze Artist will carry a set of winkers for the first time.
Introducing is the fourth winner from five to race for Edinburgh Park Stud's wonderful broodmare Smokin' Alice (USA).
A daughter of Smoke Glacken (USA), Smokin' Alice (USA) has proved a sales ring smash since being plucked out of claimer by Sheamus Mills at Monmouth Park in 2013.
Her first five foals have made $240,000 (Medaglia d'Oro), $230,000 (Fastnet Rock), $680,000 (Fastnet Rock), $1,000,000 (Exceed and Excel), and $380,000 (Trapeze Artist).
The team's undoubted star, Greg Hickman's mighty warrior Eleven Eleven, is the least expensive of the lot. The son of Fastnet Rock has banked nearly $3,200,000.
Tragically, Smokin' Alice (USA) died last August when in foal to Zoustar.
But Edinburgh Park's Ian Smith has no shortage of the family on the Farm.
They include Smokin' Alice's half-sister Nothin But a Dream (USA), the dam of Group II winner and Group 1 ATC Champagne Stakes runner-up Glenfiddich, a new acquisition for Aquis; and Alice's Smart (USA), the dam of stakes-placegetters Miss Wonderland and Spencer.
Ian Smith has also snared two daughters of Smokin' Alice's half-sister Quiet Alice, stakes-placed Quiet Kitten (USA) and stakes-winner Piacenza (VEN).
Trapeze Artist is unlucky not to have a stakes-winner on board already. The highly talented Facile has had to settle for seconds in the Group II Sweet Embrace Stakes, Group II Reisling Stakes and Listed Restricted Inglis Nursery.
The 4-time Group 1 winning son of Snitzel will hopefully right that wrong on Saturday.
