The barrier trials at Randwick on Tuesday morning held plenty of interest with G1 winners Lion’s Roar and In the Congo both winning heats as well as star sprinters Lost and Running and Shades of Rose, but we’re interested in the juveniles and in particular King’s Gambit.
The I Am Invincible colt won his debut in a stakes race in Melbourne last spring by daylight to be installed Golden Slipper favourite, but two runs since can only be described as OK, but in context were disappointing. Second to Red Resistance in the Group III ATC Canonbury Stakes and then third in the Group II ATC Silver Slipper to Cylinder.
In the trial, the Peter and Paul Snowden trained colt was ridden quietly from the gates by Mark Zahra and restrained well back in the field with cover, which was a new scenario for him. When angled into the clear over the final furlongs, he showed a brilliant change of gear to zoom home and win running away.
Its going to be very interesting to see if those tactics come out on race day and maybe find him the length and a half he needs to get back to winning form against the elite.
King’s Gambit has a half-sister by Snitzel to be offered by Newgate at Inglis Easter as Lot 392.
Two Exceed and Excel colts fought out the finish of the next heat with Fludway, who finished fifth on debut in the Listed MRC Merson Cooper to Little Brose and Cylinder, edging out unraced colt The Pacific.
Trained by Michael Freedman, Fludway was a modest $110,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Michael Freedman Racing / Julian Blaxland Bloodstock from the Torryburn Stud draft and is a three-quarter brother-in-blood to this season’s stakes-winning juvenile Zulfiqar from Apamurra (USA).
An import with Aussie bloodlines, Apamurra is a half-sister by Lonhro to blue hen Essaouira, the dam of Group I winners Alizee and Astern. Torryburn Stud will offer the half-brother to Fludway by I Am Invincible at Inglis Easter as Lot 27.
Another trial winner for Russian Revolution in the next heat with James McDonald steering the Peter and Paul Snowed trained colt The King to victory at his second trial.
The King ran last at his first trial when he jumped fairly and followed them around, but he was a lot more motivated this time and is clearly making progress.
A $320,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Sledmere Stud draft for Trilogy Racing/CB Bloodstock, The King was bred by China Horse Club and is from Why Be Discreet, a winning half-sister to stakes-winners I’m Discreet, Very Discreet and Forever Discreet.
Additional 2YO heat winners at 742m were: Critique (Written Tycoon) and Dipsy Doodle (Lonhro)
Click here for all the trial results at Breednet with Sale Mail and at Racing NSW with video.
