Spring Trial Watch – Canterbury

Tara Madgwick - Monday August 18

With wet weather in Sydney playing havoc with the trial schedule last week there was a big turnout for Canterbury trials on Monday with a key Everest runner in cruise control and several under the radar 3YO’s showing spring potential.

On our stud tour last week through Victoria we started with a visit to Twin Hills Stud at Cootamundra which is the home of well proven stakes sire Smart Missile, whose Group I winning son Briasa was in action at Canterbury.

Smart Missile gelding Briasa started his Everest campaign at Canterbury this morning - image Bradley Photography

The dashing grey was having his first hit out this preparation for Team Hawkes and was never off the bridle looking sharp and well with Zac Lloyd in the saddle.

Advertisement

It looked like a walk in the park for Briasa, who scored by nearly two lengths in a trial that also featured Group winning 3YO colts North England and Rivellino. In the previous heat two more of our new season 3YO colt stars in Nepotism and King of Pop went around with both finding the line as you would hope to see and later in the morning Devil Night stepped out to finish second in his heat against older horses.

Of the under the radar brigade Team Hawkes will be looking to snare a maiden win for blueblood I Am Invincible colt Federalist, the first foal of multiple Group I winner Arcadia Queen. He had three starts in the autumn and while he didn’t place, he did not disgrace and two of those runs were in G1 class.

The Chris Waller trained Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Providence fits the same profile having also had three starts in his first campaign the last of them a fourth in the G1 JJ Atkins behind Cool Archie. Providence is a Wootton Bassett with a staying profile given his dam South Bank is a G1 placed Fastnet Rock daughter of Rezoned, who won a Group II SA Fillies Classic at 2500m and is a sister to Chris Waller’s Victoria Derby winner Preferment.

Whatalegacy, the unraced half-brother by King’s Legacy to Group I winner Benedetta, beat Skyhook in a barrier trial last month which caught our eye and the Bjorn Baker trained colt looked good again here leading all the way to win.

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

Advertisment
More Reading...
TBA Mourn Passing of So You Think
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) and Aushorse join the wider industry in mourning the passing of So You Think, one of the modern greats of the Australian turf and a truly elite sire.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday October 21
Here is the full list of 15 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 22
Here is the full list of 37 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 23
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$140,000 NZB Ready to Run Graduate Books Ticket to G1 Victoria Derby
Bred for stamina being by Melbourne Cup winner Shoicking from a daughter of Tavistock, talented Kiwi bred three-year-old Azazel has booked his passage for the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) on Saturday week after a tough victory in the Listed Roderick Insurance Brokers 3YO Geelong Classic (2200m) at Geelong on Thursday.
2025 G1 Spring Champion – Pedigree Preview
A lot of attention is paid to the sprinting three year-old division and much less so to the stayers, but with $2million in prizemoney the Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday has attracted a full field of 14 and all of them are on trial at the trip.
$400,000 Invincible Filly a Grand Investment
A three-quarter sister-in-blood to dual Group I winning mare Charm Stone, stakes-placed I Am Invincible filly Naifah always looked well bought at the 2025 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $400,000.
End Of An Era - 2025 G1 Cox Plate
“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still” - Franklin D Roosevelt.
Premier Racing Stables for Sale in New Zealand
A unique opportunity to get a foothold in the heart of thoroughbred country in New Zealand has arisen offering both functionality and prestige within an ideal base to pursue racing success in the leading equine region in the country.
One To Watch – Belmont
We look far and wide to highlight Breednet’s ‘One To Watch’ and today’s winner of the first race at Belmont, 3yo D’Argento filly Ladies Pro, won in the manner of a horse with a nice future and in the process shone a spotlight on her sire who recorded his ninth winner so far this month.