There was plenty of two year-old action at Canterbury on Tuesday morning with seven heats for juveniles including two won by the progeny of first season sires and one heat taken out by a $1.4million colt.
The quickest of the 900m heats was won by Hellbent colt Hell I Am, who did a great job to lead all the way and win by a length and a half in 56.29 seconds over $1.8million Not a Single Doubt colt Man in the Mirror.
The two colts prepared by John O’Shea and Annabel Neasham were head and shoulders above their rivals and dashed well clear of their peers at their first public outing.
Hell I Am was a $150,000 Magic Millions purchase for Champion Thoroughbreds from the Edinglassie Stud draft and is the first Australian foal from stakes-placed import Forest Circle (USA), who comes from the family of Group I winner Carriage Trail. Her current yearling, a filly by Astern is entered for Magic Millions 2022 as Lot 58.
He looks to have above average ability and looms as a likely early winner for Yarraman Park’s Hellbent, a Group I winning son of I Am Invincible.
The other first season sire with a heat winner was Arrowfield Stud’s Pariah, whose promising filly Swiss Exile won the opening juvenile heat for Annabel Neasham.
She travelled behind the leaders and surged past them over the final furlong to win by three-quarters of a length held together.
A $95,000 Magic Millions Adelaide purchase from the Baramul stud draft for Annabel Neasham Racing/Brian McGuire, Swiss Exile is the second named foal from Swiss Francs, a placed half-sister to the dam of stakes-winner Indy Car tracing back to celebrated matriarch Skating.
Other winners were Uncorked (Pierro), Time to Leave (More Than Ready (USA),Celestial Spirit (Zoustar), Wild Irish Rover (No Nay Never (USA) and Great Barrier Reef, a $1.4million Inglis Easter purchase for Tom Magnier from the Kia Ora Stud draft.
Trained by Chris Waller, Great Barrier Reef won his trial in the slowest time of the seven heats, but the manner in which he did it was very appealing.
The I Am Invincible colt jumped well and parked behind the leaders for James McDonald as they ambled along at a steady tempo. When switched around the leader and asked to go forward he was quickly into the bridle and won by three-quarters of a length running away with his ears pricked.
He had a good experience and will no doubt be looking to do more next time.
Great Barrier Reef is a half-brother to metro winner L’Cosmo and is the third foal from dual Group I winning Northern Meteor mare Cosmic Endeavour.
Click here to see all the trial results with Sale Mail at Breednet and at Racing NSW with video.
