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Rosehill Trials Review (14 January)
By Ray Hickson

If there’s one horse to follow out of Tuesday’s Rosehill trials, where we saw several carnival types kick off their preparations, it’s the Hawkes-trained three-year-old Mir.

The son of Deep Field has been to the races just once, easily accounting for Spaceboy over 1000m back in September at Hawkesbury, and who knows what level he can get to in 2020.

Mir clocked the fastest time of the morning in his 900m heat (53.42) and it just smacked of the gelding being a very promising horse.

Tommy Berry had Mir positioned a couple of lengths off the lead and without cover, he strode alongside early in the straight and just waved them goodbye without a lot of external effort.

He has a long way to go just yet, but as far as something in the short term you’d be surprised if he doesn’t get through a few grades speedily.

Of course a lot of attention was on the first couple of heats which were headlined by Epsom and Golden Eagle winner Kolding.

His heat was won by a smart three-year-old in Standout who looked to do it well up on the speed though it must be said that heat was the slowest of the 900m trials (56.13).

Standout beats a few big names in his Rosehill trial

It probably suited a lot of the miler/middle distance horses to have a soft first trial and Kolding, particularly, wasn’t asked to a lot by James McDonald. He sat third early, was about there with 300m to run and allowed a few others to pass him late.

The likes of Subpoenaed, Danzdanzdance and Cellarman all closed off well but we’ll judge them all next time around.

Same can be said for the Waller tribe in the opening heat. Welsh Legend blew the start by four lengths but it didn’t stop her running a handy fourth, just ahead of Kings Will Dream and Night’s Watch under strangleholds creeping home late.

Up ahead of those the grey White Moss did her thing on the speed and took out the trial but the horse of most interest going forward will be Vegadaze.

He was touted as a potential Everest horse early in the spring but was spelled after failing to please Anthony Cummings in a trial following his Missile Stakes disappointment in August.

He’ll likely resume in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) on February 1, you’d imagine, and it’ll be interesting to see what he can do in his second trial, should he have one.

Let’s go back to the Hawkes stable and mention two more trial winners in Front Money and Diamond Diesel who were clear winners in the final two heats with the filly Front Money running about seven lengths faster in hers.

Front Money trialled in September and was put away while Diamond Diesel was having his first public trial so they are both worth looking out for in maidens coming up.

We’re getting towards an important time for two-year-old racing and two colts stood out aesthetically above others – Mission River (Gerald Ryan) and Spokesman (Chris Waller).

Mission River is a blueblood by Redoute’s Choice from multiple Group 1 winner Yosei and was having his second trial as he led all the way to a commanding win.

Spokesman easily wins his Rosehill trial

He ran slightly slower time than $270,000 Press Statement colt Spokesman who always looked the part, he sat just off them and with a hint of a flick from McDonald rounded up the leaders and edged away.

Peter and Paul Snowden ran one-two with Barbaric and $2.8m colt Mount Fuji shortly after Spokesman’s heat and the fact their time of 54.44 was three lengths or so faster commands their efforts plenty of respect.

Barbaric looked to have his stablemate’s measure though he does have the advantage of a race start in the Breeders’ Plate whereas it was Mount Fuji’s first trial appearance. There was also a sneaky nice trial from Can Do It back in fifth place.

The Maher-Eustace filly Muntaseera had the flashing light on in the first of the fillies’ heats, charging through the pack from well back in a very fast run trial (53.65) but she looked to have things in hand doing it.

Keep an eye out for Richard and Michael Freedman’s Seduction Queen out of that trial, hers was a handy effort too.

Her stablemate Ticket To Ride trialled nicely taking out the following heat, in steadier time, after getting up along the inside. She already has points on the board from a promising debut in the Gimcrack Stakes.

All the results and replays from Tuesday's Rosehill trials