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Warwick Farm Trials (1/2) Review
By Ray Hickson

He doesn’t have the profile or race record of some of his stablemates but Osborne Bulls is set to climb the ladder quickly this preparation if his outstanding trial return is any guide.

Godolphin really flexed its muscle at Thursday’s Warwick Farm trials with names like Hartnell, Kementari and Plague Stone capturing most attention – but don’t forget to black book Osborne Bulls!

The four-year-old, a winner of four of his five starts, carries an 81 rating so can win his way into stakes races through the carnival on what he showed running third in his 807m heat.

He wasn’t asked to for a lot early on but once into the clear from early in the straight he did some very good work closing in effortlessly.

Watch Osborne Bulls close in strongly in his Warwick Farm trial on Thursday

Kementari faces a very big autumn carnival from a reputation point of view given connections of most well performed colts are eyeing stallion making races if they haven’t already won one.

The Lonhro colt is yet to win a stakes race but was runner-up in the Caulfield Guineas in the spring before failing down the straight in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Given the quality he has raced against you’d expect him to make his presence felt, even in just a trial, and that he did as he was taken wide on the turn and was kept under a big hold as he swallowed up the ground to go down narrowly.

James Cummings has him due to resume at Warwick Farm on Saturday week, we’ll start to see what he’s made of.

Plague Stone has a profile already despite just the one start to date and he’s tightened considerably in Golden Slipper markets since he put nearly five lengths on his opposition running good time for the 807m.

What did concern me a little was the way he seemed to want to get it over with quickly but he had plenty on his rivals.

Stunts, another Lonhro colt, has already shown ability with placings in both starts to date and he probably would have won his heat, run in much slower time than Plague Stone, had he not been badly held up.

A couple of lightly raced Godolphin three-year-olds in Deprive and Regimen also showed they are capable of winning races in the near future.

Hartnell, the horse most caught between a rock and a hard place in Australia, couldn’t have done any more in a pleasing return in the 1000m course proper trial to open the session.

James Cummings and Godolphin produced a host of impressive triallers at Warwick Farm. (Pic: Bradley Photos).

He sat wide all the way and was, as you’d expect, doing his best work late.

It’s unlikely we’ll see him in Sydney in the early part of the carnival at least, with a stable ban on racing Winx seemingly still in place.

You couldn’t knock anything in Hartnell’s trial, all seven horses went about their business nicely.

The 800m course proper trial was a one horse race with the flying Super Too again proving too fast as she approaches a first-up Group 1 assignment. And, again, most did enough to suggest they’re in good order.

If Kristen Buchanan can ensure Echo Effect settles as well in his races as he did in his trial on Thursday then he’s more than capable of winning a Group race.

The four-year-old had a mixed preparation in the spring but did everything right in running fifth and striding to the line with plenty of purpose.

In the same heat, Chris Waller’s promising Unforgotten didn’t show as much as she has previously in trials and was ridden along a bit. Judge her on her next trial or be wary if she goes straight to the races.

Finally, there was plenty of intent from the Gary Portelli yard to have I Stole Your Love ridden cold and it was effective as she showed a nice turn of foot to come from last and win her heat in fair time.

Catch up on all the replays from Thursday's important set of barrier trials at Warwick Farm