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First look at the new season 2YOs under trial conditions. Chris Scholtz reviews the Randwick 2YO trials on September 23.
RANDWICK KENSINGTON
8 Heats x 850m; Good 4
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott sent out 18 runners in the eight trials over 850m and won three heats. Peter Snowden and Bjorn Baker each won two heats from much smaller representation. The remaining heat was won by a filly trained by Ciaron Maher.
First crop sires were prominent with Ole Kirk responsible for two winners and Farnan one. Other winners were sired by Capitalist, Zoustar, Street Boss, Blue Point and Cosmic Force.
A number of these youngsters had been educated in jumpouts and were well prepared. The good conditions saw very even heat times across the board.
WINNERS BY THE CLOCK
Colts/Geldings
TUSCANY (Waterhouse/Bott) 49.11/Last 600m 33.75
NORTH ENGLAND (Waterhouse/Bott) 49.43/33.43
RAGING FORCE (Peter Snowden) 49.44/33.43
KING KIRK (Waterhouse/Bott) 49.57/33.32
Fillies
O' OLE (Bjorn Baker) 49.11/33.40
MEMO (Peter Snowden) 49.33/33.45
ICARIAN DREAM (Ciaron Maher) 49.43/33.38
STRADA VARENNA (Bjorn Baker) 50.02/33.69
RATINGS
XXXX Tuscany; North England
XXX Icarian Dream; Memo; Raging Force; O' Ole; Bel Merci
XX King Kirk; Nitro
X Autumn Blonde; Divine Secret; Ripley; Strada Varenna; Tempestuous; Tupakara
HEAT 1 (C & G): The winner TUSCANY (Zoustar) cost $1.5 million and looks the part, being an imposing chestnut with plenty of strength. James McDonald allowed him to find his legs, covering ground four lengths off the lead at the 500m before responding well when called on over the last 250m to rell in the leaders and post the equal fastest heat time. His margin at the finish was only a half length over his stablemate TREMONTI but there was a lot to like about the extension in his action and he will take plenty of benefit from the experience. TREMONTI showed good determination over the last 200m to rail through under a ride and claim second from the leader GAMBLER.
HEAT 2 (Fillies): The winner MEMO (Capitalist) impressed coming from six lengths off the lead at the 500m for a dominant 1.5 lengths win. She was taken widest and showed good racing manners sprinting to the line. She should take this form to the races. The runner up AUTUMN BLONDE was briefly held up taking a split at the 200m and finished off nicely when balanced while SIYOOF also finished off for third. The leaders in this heat compounded and were well beaten at the finish.
HEAT 3 (C & G): Plenty of merit in the win by KING KIRK (Ole Kirk). Railed through to third after 200m before coming off the back of the leaders at the 200m and sprinting to the line under a ride to score by a half length. Slower overall time but his last 600m was the fastest closing sectional of the eight heats. The runner up HIDDEN MOTIVE shared the lead sitting outside FARNISHED and did well to hold his ground to the line.
HEAT 4 (Fillies): The slowest heat of the morning with STRADA VARENNA (Street Boss) finishing over the top after being eager to run behind a line of four coming to the turn. She needed clear air and lengthened nicely when she got clear running at the 200m to get the better of a game leader PERLE DE CHOCOLAT by a long neck at the finish. The eye catcher was the Trapeze Artist filly TUPAKARA making strong ground from last under a soft ride to finish fourth.
HEAT 5 (C & G): Like the form in this heat. The flashy chestnut TEMPESTUOUS led on the bit and travelled easily with the winner RAGING FORCE (Cosmic Force) tracking easily along the rails behind the pace. He looked a real professional driving along the rails over the last 100m for a strong win to score by a half length while TEMPESTUOUS was given an easy time over the last 50m. RIPLEY also impressed finding the line nicely for third after covering ground. ANARCHIST (4th) looks open to improvement on his effort.
HEAT 6 (Fillies): Good fillies heat in the equal fastest time of the session. Racy filly O' OLE (Ole Kirk) had impressed in jumpouts and showed she is a natural runner by bounding to a clear lead from the barrier. Travelled easily but came under some pressure over the last 100m and needed a flick or two with the whip to find the line. She only had a neck to spare at the finish from the impressive runner up BEL MERCI, who closed off under a kind ride from four lengths off the lead at the 600m after she was eased back from a wide gate. She was stronger through the line best than the winner and is definitely a filly to follow. BELLAZAINE tracked the winner and worked nicely to the line for third.
HEAT 7 (C & G): An early trial winner for Golden Slipper winner Farnan with his stylish colt NORTH ENGLAND recording one of the easiest wins of the session. He's a natural runner who did it at both ends, speeding through his first 600m with company before responding well when called on at the 300m by Tim Clark to break away and coast to the line. He was eased down over the last 50m, allowing a big finish from a long last by NITRO to cut the margin to 2.5 lengths after he missed the start by five lengths. The runner up has obvious ability along with the third placed STEEL KNIGHT who also impressed to run on from well off the pace.
HEAT 8 (Fillies): Impressive work by ICARIAN DREAM (Blue Point) to win the trial with plenty in hand in a time comparable to the better heats. She was allowed to find her legs in the first 200m and travelled easily into the trial on the turn under a good hold. Never came off the bit to get the upper hand and could have won by a bigger margin than her three quarters of a length if asked for a serious effort. A strong trial from DIVINE SECRET to make up good ground for a closing fourth from last under a kind ride.