There were six heats for the juveniles at Canterbury on Friday with first season sires, Stay Inside, Portland Sky and Tiger Of Malay turning out some promising ones.
Heat 14 gave us the first look at Stay Inside youngster Concubine Visit for Bjorn Baker.
He showed good natural speed to get to the front under Josh Parr and kept going strongly while a bit green, his ears pricked for the majority of the heat.
A colt out of Group III placed Street Boss mare Highly Discreet, he hails from the famous, mainly South Australian, “Discreet” family.
Bred by Go Bloodstock, he was offered at the Magic Millions Gold Coast by Newgate but was passed in and runs in the colours of his breeder.
Heat 15 saw the Bjorn Baker trained unraced Pierro gelding Malua Bay return for his second preparation where he showed his potential again, coming from off the pace to win the heat having previously won and finishing second in two trials during February.
He’s been a sale ring regular through his short life, first changing hands at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale from the Coolmore Stud draft to Cannon Hayes Stud for $70,000 before re-offered at Karaka Book 1, making $50,000 and finally selling to Darby Bloodstock for $270,000 at the NZB Ready To Run Sale.
Heat 17 saw an impressive first look at Portland Sky youngster Skystone which found the front easily under Zac Lloyd to go on and win by over length from Attorney General.
Bred by Laurel Oak Bloodstock, the gelding is the second foal of three-time winning Pierro mare Rockarosa, a daughter of the four-time stakes winning filly Gallica, including two Group I wins in the Thousand Guineas and South Australian Schweppes Oaks.
He was offered in the Redbank North draft at Inglis Classic, ultimately passing in and runs in the colours of Laurel Oak for Tom Charlton.
Skystone becomes one of nine unraced two-year-olds to have won or placed in barrier trials by first season sire Portland Sky.
The runner-up was worth noting – the well-bred Snitzel colt Attorney General, having his fifth trial and first this preparation.
A $1.5million buy for Tom Magnier from Arrowfield Stud at Inglis Easter, he is out of unraced Teofilo mare Subella (IRE), a daughter of a three-quarter sister to Dubawi.
First season sire Tiger Of Malay has had a strong start with three winners so far, including stakes placed Momentslikethese, and sits third on the money list, but the maiden Tigroni would certainly rank among his most promising and she looked good winning Heat 18.
Her first three starts saw her placed behind subsequent Group I Champagne Stakes winner Fireball, By Choice, subsequently third in the Magic Millions Classic and Shiki, the Gimcrack Stakes winner.
She was spelled after finishing ninth in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic but trainer Tom Charlton would have black type ambitions for her.
She was an $85,000 buy for O'Shea-Charlton Racing/James Bester Bloodstock/Ladies Syndicate from Newgate at Magic Millions from a family which includes Group I winner Pernod.
Other heat winners were Thyme To Go (I Am Invincible) and Heard Of Him (Derryn).
