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Some of Sydney's big names stepped out at the Randwick barrier trials on Friday morning in the lead up to their respective autumn campaigns headlined by Australia's second best sprinter Hay List.
Photo by Racing and Sports
23 heats were conducted on the Randwick Kensington surface this morning with a host of stakes performed gallopers catching the eye in their respective heats.
Hay List made his first official public appearance since winning the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) last May when taking out Heat 10 of the morning by four lengths to Gai Waterhouse-trained More Strawberries.
Rangirangdoo (4th) and Tullamore (5th) were also in the trial.
It was a clinical trial outing by Hay List who is expected to have one more before resuming in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington on February 18.
“We actually think he might be a better horse this time and oddly enough, more relaxed,” McNair said.
“I was confident he would run a mile before and now I am even more confident. Glyn said he could have put him anywhere he wanted to in the trial.
A pair of John O'Shea-trained Group winners showed encouraging signs this morning with both Foxwedge and Elite Falls winning their respective heats over 850m.
Elite Falls was the widest entering the straight and kicked clear to win by 1 ¾ lengths in a time of 50.20 seconds, a second faster than the trial of stablemate Foxwedge.
Guy Walter's boom filly Streama was given a quiet time in the same event finishing last of 10 prior to a scheduled first up start in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) on February 18.
Some of Patinack Farm's stable stars converged on Randwick today as part of their autumn preparations.
Promising Gimcrack stakes winning filly Hussousa scored in an 850m heat by a half length in a time of 50.80 while John Thompson Group winners No Evidence Needed, Trusting and Gathering also had their first trials leading into the Sydney carnival.
No Evidence Needed won Heat 7 of the morning, an 855m trial, by a Long Neck over stablemates Potions and Happy Hippy.
Trusting and Gathering ran third and sixth respectively in an 855m Open Trial won by the Les Bridge-trained Jersey Lily which also contained the likes of Beaded (7th), Winter King (4th) and Vintedge (5th).
The multiple Group winner Trusting sat last at the turn and was the widest runner coming into the straight before letting down well finishing 2.2 lengths off the winner.
Staying types were also on show in Heat 1 of the morning over 1200m.
Herculian Prince won the heat by a length in a trial which also contained dual Group 1 winner Descarado, Shootoff and last years surprise Ranvet Stakes winner Zavite.
This morning's trials at Royal Randwick received unprecedented attention drawing close to 400 people to the track.
While attendees were able to watch a number of Group performers put through their paces, a special ATC Member's breakfast also proved enormously popular.