There were five heats for juveniles at Randwick on Monday morning with Golden Slipper contenders West of Swindon and Bellazaine both in action, plus some well bred unraced heat winners including the brother to G1 winner Captivant and the Farnan first foal of Champion NZ 3YO Filly Jennifer Eccles.
Team Hawkes won the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes with a maiden in Devil Night and will be looking to do the same with Wootton Bassett (GB) colt West of Swindon, who has finished second in his first two starts in the $1million ATC Golden Gift and Group II ATC Silver Slipper earning sufficient prizemoney to put him in the race.
He found the line well for second under a hold in this 1045m heat behind expensive Capitalist colt Outer Banks, who was ridden a long to win the heat by three-quarters of a length at his second trial outing.
Outer Banks was the top lot at the 2023 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale when bought by China Horse Club / Newgate / Go / Trilogy for $625,000 and is a full brother to Group I winner Captivant.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott elected to give stakes-winning Zousain filly Bellazaine a tick over trial as she prepares for the Golden Slipper and she lengthened nicely to win her 740m scamper by the best part of a length. Good second was the Dorrington Farm homebred Capitalist filly Headbanger, a half-sister to stakes-winner Semillon from Sistonic, who is a grand-daughter of their blue hen Scandinavia.
Champion sire I Am Invincible had the quinella in this heat with a couple of unraced fillies in Bottleofbubbly and Sylph, who both did a good job. Bottleofbubbly missed the kick and had no clue at her first trial last year when unplaced and was professional this time around, while Sylph steamed to the line from last at her first time to the trials.
A homebred for Gall Bloodstock, Bottleofbubbly is from winning Denman mare Black Champagne, a sister to stakes-placed Piacenza, while Sylph, is a homebred for Yarraman Park and is a half-sister to Group I MRC Oakleigh Plate winner Booker and stakes-winner Banquo.
The Waterhouse Bott stable saddled Farnan colt Farnicle, who showed good improvement from his first trial to his second, this time leading on the fence and kicking clear to win by a length and a half.
Farnicle is the first foal from Group I New Zealand Oaks winner Jennifer Eccles, who was bought by Kia Ora Stud for $800,000 on Gavelhouse to go to Farnan. He made $600,000 at Inglis Easter when bought by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Bloodstock and Kia Ora remain in his ownership.
The Waterhouse Bott stable struck again with expensive blueblood Written Tycoon colt Chicama, who was fired up to win his heat following a pretty average effort when down the track on debut in the ATC Golden Gift last year.
A $1.35million Inglis Easter purchase for China Horse Club / Newgate / Go Bloodstock / Trilogy, he’s a colt with a huge pedigree so it’s going to hurt to have to geld him at some point in the future as he is a half-brother to triple Group I winner Shoals and stakes-winner Groundswell being from The Broken Shore, a daughter of Shantha’s Choice.
Arrowfield will offer his half-brother by Maurice (Jpn) at Inglis Easter as Lot 2018.
Click here for all the trial results at Breednet with Sale Mail and at Racing NSW with video.
