A mammoth set of 21 trials were run at Rosehill on Monday that featured Group I stars like Militarize (back as a gelding), Sunshine in Paris, Lady of Camelot and Joliestar, but our interest was in the juveniles and they included North England, who was not nominated for the $2million Inglis Millennium this Saturday for which he would have been favourite.
The Waterhouse Bott trained Farnan colt was all business in his trial, controlling it throughout and cruising home to win by three and a half lengths over G3 Gimcrack Stakes winner Bel Merci, who was laying in all the way with Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Pallaton steaming home for third ahead of Godolphin’s Snitzel colt comedy. They clocked brilliant time and all three placegetters that followed North England won on debut impressively and are warming up for autumn goals, but the winner here was low flying.
Also from the Waterhouse Bott stable is $1.7million I Am Invincible filly Rosie Rouge, who was having her third trial and second this prep and was chased forward to hold the rail before allowing one that was going hard to cross and lead. When that horse Solar Cry capitulated, Rosie Rouge took over, but she was still very green under pressure and won by half a length.
Keep an eye on the cerise colours on the Chris Waller trained Bella Wahine, the half-sister by Wootton Bassett to champion mare Fangirl. She was given a very soft time of it late by J-Mac, but there was bit to like about her effort at her first outing.
Bought from the Widden Stud draft by es Sikura/Hill 'n' Dale Farm/Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott/William Johnson Bloodstock (FBAA)/Kestrel Thoroughbreds, Rosie Rouge is the first foal of Group II winning Zoustar mare Madam Rouge and her second is a Snitzel colt that will be offered by Widden as Lot 40 at Inglis Easter.
Not many standard trials over 900m at Rosehill break 54 seconds, but this one did and it’s usually the sign of a good horse, so make sure to Black Book this Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou trained Written Tycoon colt Skyhook. He jumped well for Tyler Schiller and travelled smoothly to sit behind the leaders and when allowed to stride up after turning for home he lengthened out impressively to win by a length and a half over another nice unraced Snitzel colt Congressman.
A $575,000 Magic Millions purchase from Arrowfield for his trainers, Skyhook is the second foal of Madame Pauline, a metro winning three-quarter sister by Redoute’s Choice to Group III winner Anders and stakes-winner Ostraka.
The Waterhouse Bott stable nearly had another heat winner with Farnan colt Farnished showing plenty of toe to lead easily at his third trial, but first this prep and he was only caught on the line by unraced Snitzel colt Matias, trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou.
Matias was a $450,000 Magic Millions purchase for Curran Bloodstock and runs for TFI and Ron Wanless. Bred by Turangga Farm, he is the first foal of Group I VRC Oaks placed Never Listen, a daughter of Group II winner Rose O’War, who is in turn a daughter of Group I Australian Oaks winner Savana City.
The second foal of Never Listen is a filly by Snitzel that will be offered at Inglis Easter as Lot 82 by Davil Thoroughbreds as agent for Turangga Farm.
Additional winners were: Almanzas (NZ) (Almanzor (FR); Perle de Chocolat (Astern) and Perfect Apple (NZ) (Per Incanto (USA).
Click here for all the trials results at Breednet with Sale Mail and at Racing NSW with video.
