Juvenile Trial Watch – Randwick

Tara Madgwick - Friday June 27

Trial action was at Randwick on Friday and there were six heats for juveniles that included some interesting unraced youngsters highlighted by the full brother to a promising young sire, a well bred son of Farnan and an Extreme Choice filly.

Champion NZ 2YO Sword of State was bred Go Bloodstock and sold as a yearling to David Ellis, but they have retained his full brother Front Rank and the son of Snitzel is trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

Advertisement

He had no idea in his first trial over 740m earlier this month, but stepped out to 1050m and fitted with blinkers, Front Rank had a lot more purpose and was driven through to lead by Regan Bayliss and kicked on to win by a length and a half over the big I Am Invincible colt Portofino, who as again given an educational outing by Chris Waller.

Front Rank is the fourth foal of Group II placed In the Vanguard and it’s the first time she has been back to Snitzel since producing Group I winner Sword of State, whose first progeny will race next season.

The Michael Freedman trained Farnan gelding Ninja was having his second trial and again did a few things wrong. He was slowly away for Andrew Adkins and then he travelled greenly behind runners, but when he worked to the outside turning for home was a happy camper to lengthen and get into his rhythm going on to win by three-quarters of a length in the MyRacehorse colours.

Ninja was a $380,000 Magic Millions purchase from Segenhoe for MyRacehorse Pty Ltd/Michael Freedman Racing/Gandharvi Pty Ltd/Belmont Bloodstock Agency and is from blueblood winning So You Think mare Impulsive, a daughter of blue hen Procrastinate, so it’s a two dam pedigree packed with Black Type including G1 winners Laisserfaire and Personal.

The 740m heats are little more than a scamper, but Extreme Choice filly I Am Gone was well and truly gone at the finish winning at her second appearance by more than five lengths. Trained by Michael Freedman and ridden by Regan Bayliss she drew wide in her first trial earlier this month and travelled deep and held together all the way, but this time she had the fence and used it to full advantage showcasing her speed for an easy win.

A $475,000 Inglis Easter purchase, she runs for Belyando Bloodstock and is bred for speed being from stakes-placed Zoustar mare Just Zerene, a half-sister to Group III winner Sharnee Rose from the Asawir branch of the Easy Date family.

Additional winners were: Sigma (Snitzel), Admire Me (Admire Mars (Jpn) and Sea Admiral (Hanseatic).

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

Advertisment
More Reading...
Historic Perth Cup Win for Apulia - Special Day for Hayes Dynasty
If you love racing, there are few better ways to kick off a New Year than to be amidst a big and happy Ascot crowd on a summery Perth afternoon, watching the field go down to the start for The Cup!.
Dracarys Stakes-Winner in Hong Kong
Queensland based Snitzel stallion Dracarys sired his second stakes-winner on New Year’s Day when talented gelding Storm Rider won the Group III Chinese Club Challenge Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin.
Sires With Winners - Thursday January 1
Here is the full list of 88 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
G2 Quinella for Home Affairs
Home Affairs posted his first stakes-winner on New Year's Day and for good measure made it a quinella with his two strapping bay youngsters Kinnaird and Harvey Wallbanger fighting out the finish of the Group II Skycity Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie in New Zealand.
Private Eye Half-Brother King's Secret Records First Stakes Win
While he may forever race in the shadow of his half-brother and $12.8m earner Private Eye, the Joe Pride trained Shalaa gelding King’s Secret stepped up to black type racing for the first time in his career, winning the Listed Canterbury Sprint (1200m) on New Year’s day.
One To Watch - Mornington
A narrow third in the G3 Quezette Stakes in August, the Mark and Levi Kavanagh-trained Peltzer filly Thanks Gorgeous was a class above her rivals at Mornington on New Year’s Day, pulling clear to break her maiden in impressive fashion.
New SW for Zoustar to Kick off 2026
The leading sire by worldwide winners in 2025, Widden Stud’s flagship sire Zoustar kicked off on New Year’s Day with a brand new stakes-winner when Queen Zou captured the Group II Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie and her full sister is headed to Inglis Premier.
Ange Jones Wins G3 on Santa Catalina
It may not have been on the horse she crossed the Tasman for, but premiership-winning Queensland hoop Angela Jones got her Group victory at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
New SW Ocean Park - Ohope Wins Takes G2 Sir Patrick Hogan
Closely related to NZ Horse of the Year Jimmy Choux, promising staying filly Ohope Wins chose the best possible moment to break her maiden status when she powered home to take out the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie.
Australia's Best Maiden Gains $3million Sunlight Slot
Yarraman-bred and -raced filly Sylph will carry the green and white of Yulong in the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight on Saturday, 10 January.