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By Ray Hickson

Of all horses in action at Canterbury’s trials the one whose record stood out is Godolphin entire Ingratiating and you have to wonder where he’s at given he's close to resuming in the middle of winter.

A rising five-year-old, Group 3 winner and three-times Group 1 placed with $1.7 million in the bank, he was considered good enough to take Godolphin’s slot in last year’s TAB Everest but ultimately finished at the tail.

In fact his two NSW runs in the spring, the other in The Hunter at Newcastle, were well below what we’ve come to expect and what he'd produced to earn him that Everest berth.

After missing the autumn, Ingratiating turned up for his second trial in June and he went up a notch or two on what was admittedly a quiet hitout a couple of weeks ago to win a 905m heat.

The time was the slowest of the five heats over that trip which is a small concern, but at the same time Zac Lloyd didn’t move a muscle.

Is he a Ramornie horse? Or does he return to Melbourne for a couple of Group 3 sprints in July?

Dragonstone has some race fitness on his side but he lapped up a solidly run trial to run out a soft winner, in a time around seven lengths faster than Ingratiating.

As he does, the gelding – last start second in the June Stakes - sat back and switched to the outside where he showed his familiar turn of foot to win as he liked.

Dragonstone wins a Canterbury trial

Joe Pride might have him just about ready to win if he gets the right set up.

There was a bit to like about the runner-up Glint Of Silver who was one of the more improved three-year-olds of the autumn.

The grey graduated from a Class 1 second placing to win a Group 2 in Melbourne within the space of two weeks then backed it up with a gallant second to Zougotcha in the Phar Lap Stakes.

He failed on a heavy track in the Carbine Club before a break but the indications from this trial are that he’s in good order to start a new prep.

The most visually impressive, arguably, winner was Jarrod Austin’s Vindication who put six lengths on his rivals in his first appearance since a solid fourth in a Midway at the end of 2022.

The time wasn’t bad, some four lengths faster than Ingratiating, and he can be well placed in Class 1 or Benchmark 64 company in the near future.

A host of two-year-olds served notice they’re worth watching – Exploring, not seen since running in the Golden Slipper, won her second trial this time in and under a hold in okay time; He’s All Style, now a gelding, was an impressive all the way winner in fast time; also gelded Stanislaus cruised into second in his heat; while unraced Undivided and Hanau ran one-two and both looked to have something in hand.

There were three 1100m heats and it’s hard to know what to take away from them given a disparity in the times. Sweet Ride looked all out at the end of winning the opening heat as Brigantine and Matthew Flinders, an interesting import at his third trial, closed in on the line.

They ran some 12 lengths faster time than Tazaral who was in absolute cruise mode in scoring in the second heat, as he was probably entitled to be.

Who trialled better? We’ll most likely find that out in the next week or two.

All the results and replays from Monday’s Canterbury trials