It was all about the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained three year-olds at the Randwick trials on Monday morning with last season’s superstars Lady of Camelot and Storm Boy both winning their heats and at the very end of the morning the stable produced a couple of unraced very expensive colts that both won their heats.
She won the Golden Slipper last season and was then rolled as favourite in the Group II ATC Percy Sykes Stakes before heading for a spell and flying Written Tycoon filly Lady of Camelot was out to impress in her 850m heat. She led all the way to beat 2022 Everest winner Giga Kick with Celestial Legend never out of second gear to finish a distant fourth.
Golden Slipper winners have had a terrible record for training on in recent years with only She Will Reign, who won in 2017, adding another Group I win to her tally when taking out the MVRC Moir Stakes over 1000m first up as a spring three year-old before an unsuccessful attempt at the Everest.
Pedigree and evidence so far suggests Lady of Camelot is a pure speed horse, so she may opt for a similar path.
Third in the Golden Slipper and fourth in the Sires Produce Stakes, Storm Boy was kicked along to lead in his trial and was strong to the line winning by more than a length over stakes-winning sprinter Caballus with his time a touch slower than the previous.
Storm Boy has won both of his trials this time in and the son of Justify (USA) will go to the races ready to win first up, but has an entry for the Cox Plate, so there are plenty of options for this likable colt, whose pedigree has always suggested he should run a mile.
Two expensive colts that did not get to the races last season both won heats for the Waterhouse Bott stable and connections will no doubt be hopeful the next 12 months is more rewarding than the last.
$1.55million I Am Invincible colt Eton has had some physical issues that have delayed his start to racing and this was his first ever trial. The first foal of multiple Group I winner English was allowed to find his rhythm and gradually worked through his gears to power through on the inside and win by the best part of a length over promising Justify (USA) filly Just Feeling Lucky.
$1.8million Exceed and Excel colt Chiba is a half-brother to Group III ATC Breeders Plate winner Empire of Japan and while his juvenile season has passed him by, he did show potential in his two previous trial earlier this year which included a second to Lady of Camelot. He was made to finish off and won by a couple of lengths at the finish in slightly quicker time than Eton.
Click here for all trial results at Breednet with Sale Mail and at Racing NSW with video.
