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Chris Scholtz reviews the Randwick barrier trials on Monday August 13.
The 21 trials were held on three different tracks. Heats 1-7 were run on the steeple grass followed by heats 8-9 on the course proper over 1050m. Heats 10-21 were held on the Kensington track over 824m and then 819m.
Each track was rated dead with a tendency for horses in the Kensington heats to avoid the section closest to the inside rail.
THE STARS: LAMASERY; MIATA; KING OF OLYMPIA; MORE JOYOUS; NIAGARA; RAIN AFFAIR; STEPS IN TIME; AMORINO; BRAVE SOUL; ROLL THE BONES.
Photo by Racing and Sports
HEAT 1 (Open - 1200m/1.13.5): Classy stayer LAMASERY sat behind the pace and showed surprising dash to take a run up the inside and win comfortably with something in hand in a performance indicating he is well on track for a good spring campaign. The highly regarded STRAWBERRY BOY was a game second after leading. He was ridden along in the last 200m and will no doubt take a fair bit of improvement from this trial.
HEAT 2: (Maiden - 1200m/1.16.6): Much slower time than the open heat over this distance but a nice effort from the runner-up TONOPAH to run home strongly from last.
HEAT 3: (Open – 1050m/1.05.2): The Chris Waller stablemates MR BOLLINGER and STUDIO took the eye with strong trials. They finished third and fourth without being fully tested.
HEAT 4: (3YO Open – 1050m/1.03.9): Only four runners but they posted the time with SINGLE STYLE leading and having something in hand to hold off the classy KABAYAN, who was pushed out over the last 100m. Group winner JADE MARAUDER was given time to balance up and did her best work
over the last 100m for third.HEAT 5: (3YO Fillies Maiden – 1050m/1.03.8): They went keenly to run fastest time with the placegetters under pressure in a strong sprint to the line. The eye catcher was SONG AND LAUGHTER (6th) making ground strongly along the rail from off the pace under his own steam.
HEAT 6: (Maiden – 1050m/1.04.9): MIATA and SANGAREE cleared out to a big lead and dominated the finish. MIATA was too strong and had second horse well covered at the finish.
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HEAT 7: (Maiden – 1050m/1.04.4): Super trial by the winner KING OF OLYMPIA, an impressive Encosta De Lago from the Waterhouse stable. Under a big hold to lead at his own pace and win as he liked by three lengths that could have been a much a bigger margin.
HEAT 8 (Open – 1050m/1.04.00): The Group horses were on show with MORE JOYOUS looking in great shape as she sat fourth before letting down easily to round up the leaders and win a by a soft 1.5 lengths. DYSTOPIA raced with More Joyous behind the leaders Wild and Proud and The Great Snowman and also went to the line nicely with something in reserve. SECRET ADMIRER was the other to impress with her third as she was given an easy time throughout. The stayers Polish Knight, Maules Creek and Permit had easy conditioning trials.
HEAT 9: (Open – 1050m/1/03.7): The other top grade heat saw the leaders go keener with SOMEPIN ANYPIN sitting second and then pushed out to beat MISS STELLABELLE. The big trial came from NIAGARA, who sat three and four wide from the jump and was never let go to finish an easy third. Looks to have come up very well. SINCERO also impressed sitting deep in midfield and extending nicely in last 100m to finish fourth. The other trial to note came PANE IN THE GLASS working to the line keenly from last. The likes of Big Time, The Verminator, Fat Al and Tullamore will no doubt be better for this hitout.
HEAT 10: (Open – 824m/48.5): Keen trials from the top class pair RAIN AFFAIR and SQUAMOSA, who cleared out on the others to leave third horse GAI'S CHOICE six lengths behind. RAIN AFFAIR tracked very wide on the corner while travelling well within himself and always had the measure of SQUAMOSA, who rallied keenly on his inside to be beaten narrowly. Both will be ready first-up.
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HEAT 11: (Open – 824m/49.4): Good pace from SHOWPONY EXPRESS and he kicked on too well for EYES ON GUARD with HOYLONNY the one to make ground strongly late for a closing third without being tested.
HEAT 12: (Open – 824m/48.0): Fast time underlined the quality of the win by STEPS IN TIME, who sat off the pace early but travelled easily to join the leaders in the straight and ran clear with plenty in hand. Should be hard to beat first-up. Runner-up NOBBY SNIP led and will derive plenty of benefit from this solid hitout while MONTON showed his class to come from last for third under an easy ride, extending well over the last 200m.
HEAT 13: (3YO C & G Open – 824m/48.7); This trial had a lot of depth with AMORINO indicating he has gone ahead in fine style from last season with his impressive win over ASHOKAN. His class was evident as he easily made ground on the inside of the pack in the straight (worst going) and went on to win with plenty in hand. ASHOKAN led and had the others well covered on the line. TATRA and his Peter Snowden stablemate CHIARAMONTE sat wide just off the pace and looked to have plenty to offer hitting the line in good openers to their preparations.
HEAT 14: (3YO Fillies Open – 824m/48.4): NECHITA produced a quick sprint from the 200m to beat a good line-up. FLYING SNITZEL was never under full pressure to finish second after making ground on the inside from the 500m to the 200m while DEAR DEMI only got going late after settling back in the pack, stretching out well last 100m under no pressure.
HEAT 15: 3YO Fillies Maiden – 824m/48.1): John O'Shea stablemates HEY HEY RENEE and SPURS AND SASHES took command of the trial from the 300m and were evenly matched to the line in fast time. The eye catcher was the third from BRAVE SOUL coming from the rear with a late sprint with her rider having her under a big grip.
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HEAT 16: (3YO Fillies Maiden – 819m/49.9): JUST A GIRL led easily and held on in slow time. HOYBELL ran on best for third.
HEAT 17: (3YO Fillies Maiden – 824m/48.4): Really liked the win of ROLL THE BONES. She tracked wide and really extended under no pressure in the last 150m to score easily by three lengths in good time.
HEAT 18: (3YO C & G Maiden – 819m/49.3): ALLEZ FLASH did enough to win after sitting on pace. Best trial from CAINE MUTINY, running home late after he was allowed to drift out the back under no pressure.
HEAT 19: (3YO C & G Maiden – 819m/49.1): The winner LIMES was under pressure but rallied well and was strong to the line. Noted TWISTED EMOTIONS having a very easy time running to the line in fifth.
HEAT 20: (3YO C & G Maiden – 819m/49.1): SHELFORD was too classy. Margin wasn’t big but he did all he had to without being fully tested. CRUSADE was a good second after tracking three wide. NARCISSUS was ridden up to make ground late for fourth.
HEAT 21: (3YO C & G Maiden – 819m/49.1): MY QUESTION TO YOU and SHRAVAN had control of the trial from the start and were evenly matched to the line.
HEAT 22: (4YO+ Maiden – 819m/49.4): Even lot. The effort of VINTAGE QUALITY for third took the eye.
HEAT 23: (4YO+ Maiden – 819m/49.6): INCHITA led by six lengths. Got tired and held off late charge from INCREASE, who motored fast from last over the final 50m.