Homebred Written Tycoon filly makes big impression at Kensington trial
Gimcrack and Slipper on radar of Emirates Park’s two-year-old as first season sires make mark
Enthaar (Written Tycoon) will be given her chance to provide Emirates Park with its third Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) win after the homebred filly set the benchmark at the official Sydney two-year-old barrier trials yesterday, running the fastest time of the session and also becoming the probable favourite for the state’s opening juvenile race of the season, the ATC Gimcrack Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m).
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Enthaar was arguably the most impressive two-year-old to trial on the Kensington track in which she won heat five by four and three-quarter lengths.
Enthaar ran an even 50 seconds for the 850-metre barrier trial and her last 600 metres in 33.74 seconds, the quickest of the ten heats run, which included an open event won by Libertini (I Am Invincible) who stopped the clock at 50.13 seconds.
The performance of the Written Tycoon (Iglesia) filly did not come as a surprise to Emirates Park general manager Bryan Carlson.
“She’s a lovely type and Ciaron and David have quietly liked her for a while, so it is good to get her to the trials and show it and for a homebred too, that’s the main thing,” Carlson told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“(Emirates Park) always keeps a few fillies every year on pedigree and type, so she’s one we decided to keep last year. I don’t think she was even entered for a sale.”
Broken in at Muskoka Farm, Enthaar was identified as a filly who would be suited by the set-up and training style undertaken by Maher and Eustace.
“This is her third time back to Sydney, so she’s well travelled, and very mature and looks to be switched on,” Carlson continued.
“When you’re taking on horses outside the stable, it’s the next step up, really, and today there were a lot of (talented) horses around. It’s nice for her to be out at this time of the year and she seems to have coped with it.
“To have that mentality, you can’t ask for more than that, so it’s exciting.”
The ATC Gimcrack Stakes for two-year-old fillies at Randwick on October 3 appears the logical starting point for Enthaar and from there Carlson hopes a plan can be mapped out for her to target the Slipper.
“We will take her run by run and the aim will be to try and get enough prize-money early, so we don’t have to put pressure on her in January or February (to be high enough up the ballot order),” he said.
“She’s the standout so far (of Emirates Park’s two-year-olds) but the others haven’t really been pushed at this stage and we’ve only got a very small two-year-old crop.”
Emirates Park won the 2014 Slipper with Mossfun (Mossman) and the 2018 edition with $1.7 million Inglis Easter yearling Estijaab (Snitzel).
Enthaar is a daughter of the winning mare Final Agreement (Not A Single Doubt) who is a sister to Group 1 winner Secret Agenda and the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained stakes-placed Stellar Pauline as well as a sibling to the stakes-placed Donandkim (Smart Missile) and Sweetener (Snitzel). Final Agreement was purchased by Emirates Park for $400,000 from the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale. Final Agreement has a yearling colt by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) and has been covered by Newgate Farm first season sire Tassort (Brazen Beau) this season.
“We loved the mare as a yearling, which is why we went back and bought her when she went through the sales as a broodmare prospect,” Carlson said.
“We sent her down to Written Tycoon a few years ago and Enthaar is the result. As much as we like buying a good one, we also want to breed one.
“Final Agreement has got a colt yearling who will most likely go to Easter and she missed last year, but she’s been covered by Tassort.”
Three first season sires on the board
Earlier, it was Golden Slipper winner Capitalist (Written Tycoon) who made an immediate statement in the first juvenile heat when his son Kalashnikov put a margin on his rivals in heat two, scoring by five lengths in a time of 50.53 seconds.
Fellow first season stallions, Vinery Stud’s Star Turn (Star Witness) and Arrowfield Stud shuttler Maurice (Screen Hero), also sired winners at the Kensington session.
Kalashnikov, one of three colts owned by James Harron Bloodstock to trial yesterday, ran 33.92 seconds for the last 600 metres in the 850-metre barrier trial to set himself up for a tilt at the ATC Breeders’ Plate (Gr 3, 1000m), the colts and geldings race, at Randwick on October 3.
“It was a really good morning and I was delighted to obviously kick things off with a Capitalist and we’re quite excited about that horse. He has been showing Peter and Paul a lot at home, so it was great to see him go there and do so well,” Harron told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“On first glance, he seems to have come through it really well. He took it all in his stride. He handled the day brilliantly well and we will know a lot more in the morning when he is checked over, but so far, so good, and hopefully press on to the Breeders’ Plate.
“He was a wee bit new to it and Hugh (Bowman, jockey) gave him a little reminder to pick up and change gear and I was really pleased to see that last 600 metres.
“He was really good and kept building and was strong through the line.”
Sold by Segenhoe Stud at the Magic Millions in January for $600,000, the colt was purchased by James Harron Bloodstock on behalf of a colts syndicate. He is the second foal out of the winning mare Rough Ride (Flying Spur), herself a half-sister to Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Eagle Way (More Than Ready) and stakes winners Assertive Eagle (Danewin), Impressive Eagle (Rubiton) and Soaressa (Twining). Rough Ride has a yearling filly by Shalaa (Invincible Spirit) and is due to foal to Hellbent (I Am Invincible) next month.
Harron said: “There’s obviously a huge connection there, having purchased him, but we bought this horse on his merits. He is an outstanding physical, a real early looking type with a nice pedigree behind him, so it was a real bonus that he was by Capitalist.”
Another Harron-selected colt by a first season sire, Star Turn’s Astrologer, also took out heat ten after a slow get away, an effort that pleased the agent given the colt’s recent development.
After being slowly away, Astrologer picked up ground under Kerrin McEvoy before going on to score by a length and a quarter over Almahero (Al Maher) in 51.2 seconds and his last 700 metres in 35.65 seconds over 845 metres.
“I was really pleased with him. He’s done quite a bit of growing and he’s got a nice length and scope about him,” Harron said.
“I think he’s an improving type of horse. I was pleased to see, even though he was a little slow away, that he showed good racing racing manners to be able to come through the pack and score late. The time wasn’t that fast but he did it with his ears pricked.”
A $300,000 purchase. Astrologer is out of the unraced Fast ‘N’ Witty (Fastnet Rock) who is a sister to the stakes-placed Fast Talker, herself the dam of Listed winer Persuader (Zoustar) and the Tony Gollan-trained The Actuary (Sebring) who won The Phoenix (Listed, 1615m) as a two-year-old last season. Fast ‘N’ Witty has a yearling filly by Hellbent but did not get in foal last year.
“We very much picked these horses out on physical type and ended up with one Star Turn which I really like and it was nice to see him deliver today,” he said.
“We’ve got a few by first season sires this year. They’ve been holding their own in the past couple of years and I think there’s a great selection of young stallions, so we’ve picked the eyes out of them and we’re very happy to pick one up (by Star Turn).”
Maurice’s Medad (Maurice), who was having his second trial, won heat six.
Harron also had the Snowden-trained Oblique (I Am Invincible), a $260,000 yearling from the Gold Coast, finish one and a half lengths from the winner Retrieval (Medaglia d’Oro) in heat eight when fifth.
“The penny probably hasn’t quite dropped with him yet. He’s been a bit slow out in his jump–outs at home and he was just a bit slow again today,” he revealed.
“We will just see how he comes through it. If he was going to go to the races, he’d probably need to have another trial.
“He is still carrying a little bit of excess and he’s quite a good-doing colt, so we’ll work out a plan with him.”
Winning trials at the first official Sydney session is not the be-all and end-all, with Harron’s King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice), a dual Group 1 winner, running fourth of five in his first hit-out last year.
“I think it’s a great sign that horses are generally showing ability to get to those trials and we see them come out at different stages and people learn a bit more about what they’re capabilities are going to be.
“Of course, King’s Legacy was showing huge ability at home and he got out over a bit further. It tends to throw up a lot of good horses.”
Shalaa colt Shaquero shines on the Gold Coast
On the Gold Coast yesterday, two two-year-old barrier trials were conducted with the Chris Waller-trained Shaquero, a son of Arrowfield’s Shalaa (Invincible Spirit), taking out heat one over 900 metres in a time of 54.08 seconds.
A $160,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase by agent Guy Mulcaster from the Fernrigg Farm draft, the Bob Hannon-bred Shaquero defeated Prime Asset (Star Witness) by a length, while Golden Eighty (No Nay Never) was another three quarters of a length away in third. He is out of the winning mare Fimatino (Not A Single Doubt) who is a half-sister to Sunset Express (Success Express), the dam of Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) winner and Rosemont Stud sire Shamus Award (Snitzel).
Heat two was won by Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) filly True Moonlight, a Heinrich Bloodstock-bred, raced and trained two-year-old daughter of Moonlight Hussey (Hussonet).
Heat 2 – colts – 850 metres TIme: 50.13 seconds (33.29 last 600m)
Kalashnikov (2 c Capitalist – Rough Ride by Flying Spur)
“He’s always been like that, right from day one, especially being by Capitalist, we were keen to see how their attitudes were and they’ve been just like him, so I am really pleased for the horse and the stallion to get his first one out on the track to be a winner,” co-trainer Peter Snowden said. “We know the horse pretty well and he’s just franked what we’ve seen from him every morning. He’s got good ability and a great demeanour and that will take him a long way. Once he’s pulled up sound, there’s still a bit of a belly on him, so he should tighten up a bit from today, so he should be spot on for Saturday week.”
Heat 3 – fillies – 850 metres Time: 50.52 seconds (34.17 secs last 600m)
Vaccine (2 f Not A Single Doubt – A Brilliant Idea by Afleet Alex)
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained the quinella of heat three, with Vaccine defeating Miss Hoff (Flying Artie). “I think both fillies’ best attribute is that they’ve got a great mental aptitude towards their racing and they’re very mature in that sense,” Bott said. “(Vaccine) was beaten for speed a little bit early, so Tim (Clark, jockey) just let her find her feet. She had a nice education in amongst the field and I guess the most pleasing aspect was that she responded to pressure late and was able to take those tight gaps and find the line well.” On runner-up Miss Hoff, Bott said: “She stuck on well considering she was stuck three wide and sustained that pressure. She looked to get a little bit lost late as she wandered a bit but when that other filly joined her she responded again. They’re two fillies who should improve and they were two nice trials for the Gimcrack.” Vaccine was a $220,000 purchase from the Gold Coast by Waterhouse and Bott for Glenlogan Park from the draft of Queensland breeder Ron Gilbert’s Highgrove Stud. She is a sister to the promising Glenlogan Park Stud-owned, Rob Heathcote-trained Minjee, a two-time winner last season at two.
Heat 4 – colts – 850 metres Time: 50.59 seconds (34.46 sec last 600m)
River Snitty (2 c Snitzel – Savannah River by Encosta De Lago)
Chris Waller’s racing manager Charlie Duckworth described River Snitty’s performance as a “really pleasing trial”. “He did everything right, he came in back behind them, got a lovely educational experience and when he presented in the straight,” Duckworth said. “I know Hughie (Bowman, jockey) gave him a couple of reminders in the straight but to be fair to him he lengthened well. Hughie actually came and jumped him out at home last Tuesday on the Polytrack.” River Snitty was a $350,000 Magic Millions graduate purchased by Guy Mulcaster from Gerry Harvey’s Baramul Stud draft. River Snitty’s dam Savannah River, a half-sister to Savabeel (Zabeel), is the dam of four-time winner Maddi Rocks (Fastnet Rock).
Heat 5 – fillies – 850 metres TIme: 50.00 seconds (33.74 sec last 600m)
Enthaar (2 f Written Tycoon – Final Agreement by Not A Single Doubt)
Co-trainer Ciaron Maher said Enthaar had been “quite sharp and quite natural”. “She came up from Melbourne the other day and just had a little 600-metre jump–out and she was very natural there,” the dual-state trainer said. “She’s gone on and we haven’t had to do much with her and she looked good again (today). (James McDonald, jockey) gave her a good rap. He said she’s a three-year-old, did everything right and gave him a really nice feel. She’s got it all there quite early, so hopefully she pulls up and hopefully we can go on (to the races).”
Heat 6 – colts – 845 metres – Time: 50.65 seconds (34.54 last 600m)
Maurice’s Medad (2 c Maurice – Presslist by Librettist)
Bjorn Baker was full of praise for Maurice’s Medad’s sire Maurice after the colt, who was runner-up in a 735-metre trial at Randwick on September 8, overcame a wide run to win heat six. “I wish I had more horses in the stable whose father was Maurice,” Baker said. “I’ve got this bloke and a couple of fillies who probably need a little bit longer, but this bloke, he’s still got to develop into his frame, but he’s showing too much to put out. He’s got a great attitude and I thought it was a really good effort today, as it’s a big help to have the rail with two-year-olds, so he was really game and strong to the line.” Maurice’s Medad was a $250,000 purchase by Baker and agent James Clarke from the Vinery Stud draft from this year’s Magic Millions January sale. Maurice’s Medad’s dam Presslist is a half-sister to Vinery Stud’s Group 1-winning stallion Press Statement (Hinchinbrook)
Heat 7 – fillies – 845 metres – Time: 50.11 seconds (33.89 last 600m)
Total Babe (2 f I Am Invincible – In Style by Fast ‘N’ Famous)
The good day at the trials for the Waterhouse and Bott stable continued in heat seven when Total Babe won her trial by a nose. “Total Babe showed great tactical speed and, obviously, she looks very professional,” Bott said. “She relaxed well in front for Tommy (Berry, jockey) and when she needed to quicken there was an immediate response, so I thought of all ours this morning, she was the most immediate and showed the most natural speed.” Total Babe, who is out of New Zealand Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner In Style, was sold by Mill Park Stud for $300,000 to Waterhouse and Bott at the Magic Millions sale earlier this year. In Style has a Sebring (More Than Ready) yearling colt and is due to foal to Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) this month.
Heat 8 – colts – 845 metres Time: 51.08 seconds (34.50 last 600m)
Retrieval (2 c Medaglia d’Oro – Shelters by Lonhro)
Godolphin, as expected, made its presence felt at the official two-year-old trials and it was well-bred Medaglia d’Oro (El Prado) colt Retrieval who impressed in winning heat eight. James Cummings’ offsider Darren Beadman was on course to oversee Godolphin’s four runners. On Retrieval, Beadman said: “He’s very much a push-button horse. He travelled nicely in the trial, went between horses, and that was a very positive trial.” The heats were run on a Soft 6 surface which Beadman said would help the two-year-olds pull up well in the hope of contesting upcoming races. “It’s probably a blessing that we had a little bit of rain last night as it’s just softened up the track nicely,” he continued. “The right ones will put their hands up and I quite like the colt. He’s quite mature and precocious, while the filly (Tinge) is a little bit on the light side.” Retrieval, a homebred for Godolphin, is a brother to Group 3 winner Multaja and Listed winner Veranillo, while he is also from the same family as Group 1 winner Benfica (Lonhro). Shelters has a yearling colt by Astern (Medaglia d’Oro).
Heat 9 – fillies – 845 metres Time: 50.42 seconds (34.43 seconds)
Excela Bella (2 f Exceed And Excel – Caraveli by Viscount)
“Excela Bella, I thought there was a lot to like about her. I think she will physically take a lot more improvement out of the trials than any of them today,” co-trainer Adrian Bott said. “I like the way, when she was a little bit lost and floating around, she really rallied strongly. She pinned the ears back and fought on, which are qualities you like to see at this very early stage.” Excela Bay is owned by an all-female syndicate, so Bott indicated the filly would be given her chance to qualify for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m). Consigned by Rosemont Stud at the Magic Millions, Excela Bella was a $250,000 purchase by her trainers and is out of the unraced mare Caraveli, who is a half-sister to El Cambio (Commands), Complicate (Commands) and Cataclysm (Marauding), the dam of Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Earthquake (Exceed And Excel) and Listed winner Palomares (Commands). Caraveli was sold for just $5,500 in April in an Inglis Digital auction.
Heat 10 845 metres – colts Time: 51.20 (34.65 seconds)
Astrologer (2 c Star Turn – Fast ‘N’ Witty by Fastnet Rock)
“Kerrin (McEvoy, jockey) was very happy with him. He was probably a touch slower than the other trials this morning, but he was slow away himself,” Peter and Paul Snowden’s racing manager Colum McCullagh said. “He mustered pretty well and it was nice to see him run through the line. He had his ears pricked and had a bit of a look around but there’s improvement in him.” – quotes courtesy Sky Racing