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This morning's Barrier Trials at Royal Randwick received unprecedented attention drawing close to 400 people to the track to witness some of Sydney's finest horses go through their paces in their preparation to autumn Group racing.
Photo by Racing and Sports
A special ATC Member's breakfast proved enormously popular; with the pulling power of top line horses and the Royal Randwick venue highlighted by the turnout.
Gai Waterhouse-trained Descarado made a welcome appearance at the heats, the first time the five-year-old has stepped out in silks since claiming victory in the Group One Caulfield Stakes in October. The son of High Chaparral clocked in fourth behind stablemate Herculian Prince who crossed the line ahead of Viking Legend and Leica Larrikin in the opening heat of the day.
John McNair would have been delighted at his dual Group One winner Hay List's efforts in this morning's fifth trial. The talented six-year-old was one behind coming into the straight, but coasted away to finish four-lengths ahead of equally skilled More Strawberries and O'Reilly's Prize in a time of 58.2 seconds.
Chris Waller's Group One Doncaster Mile champion Rangirandoo took out fourth place in the same heat; a strong effort after missing the start and coming out of the turn seven-lengths off the lead.
Jersey Lily, who is bound for Group mares races in autumn, showed her brilliance when she went on to defeat the evenly matched duo of Trusting and Winter King respectively in heat six, an 850m sprint. Winter King led at the 500m with no pressure, but the Catbird six-year-old sprinted away at the 200m to take out the trial by a margin of two-lengths in 51.7 seconds.
A tight trial gave spectators an exciting finish in the eighth-heat of the morning. Gwenda Markwell-trained Salade lead narrowly over three-year-old Sandhurst at the 50m mark, but it was Group Two Urbis Roman Consul Stakes winner Foxwedge who came over the top late to snatch victory by a head.
In her second trial in as many weeks, Elite Falls broke away well from the barriers but had to do a little work after coming out wide in the straight. The striking filly swept up to take the lead on heat nine and run on to the finish over John O'Shea-trained Colorado Claire who arrived just in time to claim second ahead of Bold Sari, by a margin of a short-half-head.
Also featuring in this trial was three-year-old filly Streama who was out for a quiet run in her first appearance since her heroic victory in the Group One Coolmore Flight Stakes in spring.
John Thompson-trained Hussousa was one of the star juveniles beginning AAMI Golden Slipper campaigns today in heat ten. The promising two-year-old sat in the middle of an eight horse heat before striding down the outside of the Kensington track at the 300m to hit the lead and past the post first in an impressive time of 50.8 seconds. Gai Waterhouse-trained Valerio and well bred Fastnet Rock filly Arrasene took out the minor placings.
The full list of Barrier Trial results can be downloaded at www.royalrandwick.com. To stay up-to-date with the latest racing news, follow us on Twitter at @atc_raci