The Slipper might be over, but there are some quality proven stakes class two year-olds that sidestepped that task in the pursuit of races at The Championships and we saw a few of them at the Randwick trials on Friday morning.
Last seen winning the Group II VRC Sires Produce Stakes at 1400m, the Matt Laurie trained I Am Invincible colt Vinrock was finding the line in style in his 1050m heat to finish second to unraced Capitalist colt Outer Banks, the full brother to Group I winner Captivant.
Trained by Peter Snowden for the Newgate China Horse Club partners, Outer Banks topped the Inglis Weanling Sale at $625,000 when offered in the Ashleigh Thoroughbreds Dispersal.
Another visitor from Melbourne is the Anthony and Sam Freedman trained Snitzel colt Beskar, who won on debut at Geelong last December and was having his first public hit out since then in this 740m scamper. He travelled deep all the way and hard on the bridle for James McDonald before forging clear to win held together nearly two lengths.
Bred by Widden Stud in partnership, Beskar was a $600,000 Inglis Easter purchase by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock and runs for Pincecliff Racing. He is the second winner from Group II winning New Approach (IRE) mare Sword of Light, a half-sister to stakes-winner Sword of Justice from a proven Contract Racing female family with his third dam Group III winning blue hen Razor Blade, who left four stakes-winners headed by Group I winning sprinter Flamberge.
The next trial was also won by Anthony and Sam Freedman with stakes-winning I Am Invincible filly Inkaruna given a tick over trial after her last start third to Tempted in the Group II ATC Reisling Stakes. She worked into the trial when asked by Mark Zahra and looked like she was galloping for fun!
A homebred for Kia Ora Stud, Inkaruna is the third winner and first stakes-winner from four foals to race from Ravi, a Group III winning Redoute’s Choice mare that was also bred by Kia Ora Stud.
Click here for all the trial results at Breednet with sale details and at Racing NSW with video.