A small set of trials at Randwick on Friday produced four heats won by juveniles that included an Alabama Express colt colt we have not seen since the Golden Slipper.
Shangri La Express won the Golden Gift last spring - image Steve Hart
Shangri La Express won the $1million ATC Golden Gift last spring and was then placed in a couple of the Golden Slipper lead ups before ultimately finishing unplaced in the big one, but the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained colt looked sharp in his first trial this prep over 740m. He charged forward to lead and kicked away on the turn before coasting home to win by three-quarters of a length.
A $220,000 Magic millions purchase from Yulong for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds, Shangri La Express should be well placed in the early new season three year-old sprints.
Not all horses in the Waterhouse Bott stable are expensive as we saw when unraced filly Unite the Stars won her 1045m heat showing good improvement from her first unplaced trial last month.
Unite the Stars cost just $8,000 at the Inglis HTBA Scone Sale.
From the first crop of the former Waterhouse / Bott trained juvenile stakes-winner Unite and Conquer, Unite the Stars was bought by Blueblood Thoroughbreds for just $8,000 from the Kingstar Farm draft at the Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale. She is from placed Magic Albert mare Inastella Magic, who is a half-sister to seven winners with third dam on the page a half-sister to Champion 2YO Filly Victory Vein.
Additional heat winners were: How Rude (Snitzel), Southern Charm (Shalaa (IRE).
Click here to see all the trial results at Breednet with Sale Mail and at Racing NSW with video.
