Randwick Trials (31/10) Wrap
By Ray Hickson
It’s easy to get carried away with barrier trial wins, and we’re all guilty of it, but there was something special about the win of lightly raced mare Sedanzer at Randwick on Tuesday.
The four-year-old roared away with a 1200m heat after sitting off the speed and tracking wide, showing she’s come on since her first trial over the short 745m course.
Sedanzer was a late bloomer last season but was good enough to beat Interlocuter and Up ‘N’ Rolling over a mile and finish a couple of lengths from Egg Tart in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks.
The only negative is that so far she’s yet to be placed first-up but is unbeaten second-up so keep that in mind when assessing her return.
Sedanzer easily winning her Randwick trial on Tuesday
Stablemate Fabrizio has shown up in plenty of trials this time in and he shouldn’t be lacking in fitness for his return after winning his fourth trial in a faster overall time but a slower last 600m for the same trip.
He parked outside the leader, cruised past in the run home and edged away looking quite good. He’s only had three starts this year and it wouldn’t surprise if he’s been set for the Villiers second or third-up.
Speaking of dominant trial wins, two-year-old Royal Witness showed plenty of speed as he smashed his rivals in his first official hitout.
Trained by John Sargent, Royal Witness jumped fairly then mustered to lead before slipping away around the turn and extending the margin to six lengths.
It was only a 735m trial so that’s one small asterisk to consider if we don’t see another trial.
Ron Quinton’s stable extends much wider than just his two popular mares and he’d have been rapt with the trials of Barnabas and Allegheny.
Barnabas is a five-year-old gelding with one start to his name, a close second in a Hawkesbury maiden earlier this year, so he has some catching up to do.
Andrew Adkins settled Barnabas in the second half in his 1045m heat, he worked into the clear in the straight and closed off nice. Adkins looked as though he was going to shake him up then he charged past the leader under his own steam.
He has to be a maiden winner shortly.
Allegheny has now had two trials and she could quite easily have won this one had Adkins decided to ask for something.
She’s a provincial class mare at present but she did win first-up last preparation.
Godolphin were reasonably prominent throughout the 17 trial session and there’s a few that stood above the standard "nice trial" category.
Maquilla ran on nicely for fourth in her trial at Randwick
Nicely bred filly Maquilla is a half-sister to Group 1 winners Helmet and Epaulette and while it’d be ambitious to suggest she’ll reach their heights she has her share of talent.
In her second trial, the unraced three-year-old was spotted slipping home nicely into fourth place.
Tiny Taj did a good job to win on debut back on October 4 and she just cruised around in between horses to finish 1.5 lengths away without being touched in a 1045m trial.
Flow was a very interesting winner over the same trip.
He and Duibio (Edward O’Rourke) staged a two horse war and broke right away from the rest of the field in their heat.
Neither knocked up at all and both looked strong with Flow just gaining the upper hand late. Both have now had two trials and will create a bit of interest when they resume in their right class.
Catch all the replays from the Randwick barrier trials on Tuesday