A big set of 18 trials were run at Rosehill on Monday morning and while Australian Horse of the Year Nature Strip was low flying in cruise control to win his heat, there was another eye-catching sprinter that went quicker.
Nature Strip did everything right for James McDonald and was well held together on the line clocking 54.24 in winning his 895m heat with his last 600m in 34.49 seconds.
He was gallant in defeat in the Group II ATC Challenge Stakes last start going down in course record time to Eduardo, who franked the form by winning the Group I ATC The Galaxy on Saturday.
Talented Rubick 3YO The Face has never missed a place in six starts and looks ready to rumble judging by his trial win this morning.
Trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, the flashy bay led all the way and opened up to win by more than seven lengths clocking 53.64 and coming home his last 600 in 34.11 for James Innes Jr.
Stakes-placed in three of his six starts, The Face looms as a certain stakes-winner of the future for his sire Rubick, whose champion son Yes Yes Yes was the most popular first season sire in 2020.
Bred by Steve Smith’s Noorilim Park and retained to race, The Face is the fifth winner from six foals to race from Crazy Quality, a winning daughter of stakes-winner Crazy Neaux from the family of Group II winner La Bella Dame and Group III winner Damselfly.
Crazy Quality has a yearling filly to follow also by Rubick.
