Waterhouse/Bott’s The Autumn Sun filly runs away with Rosehill trial
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s filly Autumn Ballet (The Autumn Sun) won her trial with remarkable ease on Monday, whilst a daughter of G1 Golden Slipper winner Mossfun (Mossman) also looks smart.
There were six heats for the 2-year-olds at Rosehill’s trial on Monday, with some exceptionally well-related winners amongst them, though the clear highlight was Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s The Autumn Sun filly, a dominant winner of Heat 8.
Heat 3 – Maher/Eustace’s Anamoe relation takes smooth victory
Sending out five youngsters, over half of the nine juveniles in Heat 3, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace were responsible for the first three home in the first 2-year-old trial at Rosehill on Monday morning.
Burning to the front was Exceed Perfection (Exceed And Excel), who was tracked into the straight by Tiz Invincible (I Am Invincible). Under a tight hold from the moment she left the barriers, Tiz Invincible joined her stablemate with 100 metres to run, edging 0.76l past him at the line.
She completed the 1030-metre workout in 1:02.17, the last 600 metres in 35.07s, and the front pair left Nondisclosure (Dundeel {NZ}) 6.46l in their wake.
Gallery: Heat 3, images courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Bred by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, Tiz Invincible is beautifully related being out of Amuletum (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), a half-sister to the brilliant Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) and Listed winner Anamba (GB) (Shamardal {USA}) – that pair being out of Tiz Invincible’s second dam, G1 Australasian Oaks winner Anamato (Redoute’s Choice).
Tiz Invincible was a $550,000 purchase for Bahen Bloodstock, Ciaron Maher Racing and Eric Lucas at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Heat 7 – Slipper tilt for Mossfun’s daughter?
Emirates Park’s daughter of G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Mossfun (Mossman), Mathkhoora (I Am Invincible), was an eye-catching winner of the first of five trials over 900 metres for the 2-year-olds.
Trained by Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes, the daughter of I Am Invincible was returning to the public eye having taken in one trial in October last year, and showed improvement on that second-place finish to make all the running on Monday. Hard held by Sam Clipperton, she scored by 1.73l over Godolphin’s Pierro Plate runner-up Remedies (Sepoy).
With Remedies also under restraint by Brenton Avdulla, the nearest pursuer was Bjorn Baker’s Miscavolini (Written By), and Mathkhoora stopped the clock in 54.16s for the 900-metre trip, covering the last 600 metres in 34.46s.
She holds an entry to this Saturday’s G2 Reisling S., victory in which would grant her an automatic berth in the Golden Slipper, giving her the chance to emulate her dam.
Heat 8 – Ballet bolts in
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have been churning out a slew of juvenile trial winners in Sydney of late, but none could be more impressive than Autumn Ballet (The Autumn Sun), who was making her second trial appearance.
Rounding the home turn in front, the 2-year-old filly was given a squeeze by Tim Clark and took off, recording a 7.64l margin over a held-together Utopian Wine (Pierro), and clocking the fastest final 600 metres of all the juvenile trials on Monday at 34.22s, with the overall time only fractionally slower than the previous heat.
Bred by Arrowfield Stud, Autumn Ballet is out of Grisi (Street Cry {Ire}), a half-sister to Group 2 winner Zakouski (GB) (Shamardal {USA}) and Group 3 winner King’s Command (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) – both trained by Charlie Appleby in the UK.
Autumn Ballet was picked up by her trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $340,000.
Heat 9 – Waterhouse/Bott’s expensive colt on track
As a $1.4 million yearling, Head Of The Herd (Snitzel) attracted plenty of attention when winning his trial debut back in October. Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, he beat stablemate and subsequent Kirkham Plate runner-up Coincide (Invader) that day, though only managed third in a follow-up trial at Rosehill later that month.
In his reappearance on Monday he dug deep from the front under Tim Clark, holding off Limburg (Justify {USA}) by 0.43l, with Arctic Legend (Frosted {USA}) a nose away in third. Head Of The Herd covered the 900-metre trial in 55.41s, the final 600 metres taking 35.41s.
Running in the yellow colours of Go Bloodstock, Head Of The Herd was purchased by Sir Owen Glenn’s operation and his trainers at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, and is closely related to two sires being out of Purely Spectacular (NZ) (Pins), the dam of Stratum Star (who’s by Stratum) and Prague (a son of Redoute’s Choice).
Heat 10 – Costner cruises home
Returning to Rosehill two weeks after his debut trial, John O’Shea’s Trapeze Artist colt Costner made most of the running and was a ready winner of his heat.
Not much more than a nudge from Brenton Avdulla in the straight saw him run out the final 600 metres in 35s, with a 1.23l margin back to Californian (Justify {USA}), from the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou stable. The 900-metre trial was completed in 55.56s, the slowest of the juvenile heats over the same distance.
Bred by Trapeze Artist’s owner Bert Vieira, Costner was consigned by the stallion’s home farm of Widden Stud and sold to his trainer at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $320,000.
He is the second foal from his dam, More Than A Legend (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}), who was a winner over a mile in the United States, and a half-sister to a pair of stakes placegetters.
For the same connections, Costner’s younger brother is consigned (as Lot 304) to this year’s version of the same sale.
Heat 11 – Libertad looms up
Another for the colts and geldings, Heat 11 was won by Libertad (Russian Revolution), who moved up the rail stylishly to grab the lead off Torre Eager (Written By) in the final 50 metres, the pair putting a 1.57l gap into Idhana (I Am Invincible).
Trained by Annabel Neasham, Libertad completed the 900-metre trial in 55.70s, recording 35.36s for the last 600 metres.
The son of Russian Revolution is out of Electric Charge (Charge Forward), a half-sister to Group 3 winner Miss Darcey (Hussonet {USA}), who was placed in the G1 Australian Oaks and is out of G1 Champagne S. placegetter Miss Bussell (Danzero).
Libertad was bred by Rheinwood Pastoral and originally picked up by Tal Nolen for $40,000 at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, before consigning him to the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, where his trainer secured him for $210,000.
-Oz Wedmore
