Interesting morning at the Warwick Farm trials with globetrotting sprinter Artorius winning at his first appearance back in Australia after three starts in Europe last year in Group I contests, while the five heats for juveniles featured a dazzling exhibition of low flying by undefeated colt Red Resistance.
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Red Resistance was too good last start for much hyped King’s Gambit in the Group III ATC Canonbury Stakes and while that colt will take his place in the Group II ATC Silver Slipper on Saturday, a trial was chosen in preference for this son of Russian Revolution.
Brett Prebble had him switched right on from the start and Red Resistance jumped fast and travelled on the bridle all the way to clock a brisk 45.36 for the 798m heat with the last 600m in 31.94.
Nobody knows more about winning the Golden Slipper than Gai Waterhouse and Red Resistance could easily follow in the footsteps of her previous seven Slipper winners - Ha Ha, Dance Hero, Sebring, Pierro, Overreach, Vancouver and Farnan, the last trained in partnership with Adrian Bott.
Gary Portelli unleashed a smart two year-old winner during the week in Extreme Spirit and he might have another waiting in the wings with flashy chestnut Capitalist gelding Encap impressing in his first ever trial.
Encap surged through to lead and was strong to the line under a hold to win by a length and a half.
A $200,000 Inglis Easter purchase for his trainer from the Newhaven Park draft, Encap is a half-brother to two winners and is the third foal of Group III wining Stratum mare Enquare. Newhaven Park will offer the full brother to Encap as Lot 118 at Inglis Easter.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott also put the polish on well-related Exceed and Excel filly Oz Empress, who blitzed her rivals to win by more than four lengths.
She led for Tim Clark and gave a good kick to the line, so nothing not to like about her performance or her pedigree.
Withdrawn from Inglis Easter last year by Evergreen Rich, Oz Empress is a full sister to Group III placed winner Key being from Vanilla Princess, a winning Lonhro half-sister to Group winners Thewizardofoz and Argentia from Champion NZ 3YO Filly Princess Coup.
Vanilla Princess has a yearling colt by American Pharoah (USA) that is entered for Magic Millions Adelaide as Lot 393.
Additional winners were: Music Queen (Snitzel) and Kenology (Tivaci).
Click here for trial results at Breednet with Sale Mail and at Racing NSW with video.
