By Ray Hickson
The TAB Everest runners Redzel and Deploy may have finished about five lengths apart in their 1000m trial at Rosehill on Tuesday but you’d be hard pressed to say one trialled better than the other.
While Redzel shadowed the leader and edged away late, a blinker-less Deploy found himself in the unfamiliar position of racing midfield before running third.
You could make a small case that Redzel was asked to do a bit more and Deploy was clearly not asked for anything but that’s about as far as you’d want to delve into it.
It’s safe to say the pair are the in-form sprinters in Sydney at the moment and are genuine Everest contenders.
The trial was an important Everest lead up as Redzel hasn't raced since September 16, where he won The Shorts, while Deploy's had an extra week off since his track record Theo Marks win.
In the same trial Egg Tart went around untested, just three days after missing her shot at a Group 1 Epsom Handicap due to an eye irritation.
Redzel wins the Rosehill course proper trial with Deploy third
To the two-year-old trials and the Gerald Ryan-trained Tactical Formation was a dominant winner of his 900m heat and you had to like the way he reacted to being asked to sprint a little.
He showed good speed to lead by a couple before a bit of a shake early in the straight saw him bound six lengths clear.
Stablemate Legend Of Condor won the preceding heat in quite a professional manner and there was plenty to like about the third place Acquire, a big and strong looking colt who worked home nicely.
Acquire is a half-brother to G1 winner Peeping.
Godolphin filly Gododdin, a half-sister to G2 winner Old North, showed a nice turn of foot in her heat, she swept to the lead a fair way out then slammed the brakes on to win by less than a length. Would have been several if let stride.
While on Godolphin, our old friend Chetwood made a nice mess of his rivals at his first run since going around a $4 chance behind Happy Clapper at Newcastle in March.
Sure he only won by a length but he served it up to the leader, took over looking like he’d win by 10 and was held right back to the field. He had a below par autumn but placed correctly he can regain form.
Queensland Guineas winner Salsonic warmed up nicely late in his 900m heat and while he ran second last he hit the line hard and ran right through it.
Just ahead of him was New Universe, who won his first two Sydney starts, having an easy hitout. He trialled in August then disappeared suggesting a minor issue so it wouldn’t shock to see him trial again.
Richard Freedman’s stable is in form and it’ll be interesting to see what the unraced Merican can do when he kicks off in a maiden somewhere after a handy fourth in his second trial this time in.
He’s all legs and was outsprinted early in the straight in the 1030m heat but did some nice work late.
Epidemic is a horse many will remember had no luck when well in the market on debut at Rosehill in October, running fourth to Champagne Cuddles and Ace High.
She then went to Scone in May and didn’t fire but she certainly trialled in promising fashion to win the final heat of the morning. Fourth placed Sasuba also caught the eye and it wouldn’t shock to see her return a winner out of town.