Latest News

Kensington 2YO Trials Review
By Ray Hickson

If I had to pick just one standout performance from the official two-year-old trials at Randwick on Monday it’d be the Chris Waller-trained colt Global Quest who looked all quality as he wrapped up the 11 heat session.

There were plenty of youngsters who put their names out there as potential Breeders’ Plate and Gimcrack Stakes winners come Saturday week but the $340,000 More Than Ready colt gets the nod.

Times aren’t everything in these first public appearances so even though his 50.79 was on the slower side of the six 847m heats (two were slower) he wasn’t asked for any effort by James McDonald and could easily have posted a faster time.

He broke well from the gates and was in the middle of a battle for the lead early on, he took over on the turn and then travelled so easily to the line there had to be plenty left.

Another colt from the Waller yard to keep an eye on is Blondeau, a $360,000 I Am Invincible youngster, who finished second to the flying Belieber (50.47) in an 852m trial.

In many ways it was a typical trial from the premier stable, sitting quietly out the back then being allowed to run home under his own steam with barely a push from McDonald.

Beyliks wins the opening two-year-old trial at Randwick

Waller won the Breeders' Plate in 2017 with Performer and Krameric finished third in 2018 so, while he's yet to be a dominant force in the juveniles outside of winter it's only a matter of time before a Slipper falls his way.

Godolphin kicked off the two-year-old season with a stylish win from Lonhro colt Beyliks (50.59) and he’ll no doubt be a force in the Breeders’ Plate.

He’s the first foal of Ottoman, who won the Percy Sykes Stakes in 2015 and was runner-up to English in the Reisling Stakes in the same year, and he jumped nicely and landed in the one-one then when asked to move he did it comfortably and looks a readymade racehorse.

There was a $1.7m colt in the opening trial, Osamu from the Waller camp, and we’ll keep the jury out on him as he was kept in a pocket by Beyliks until well into the straight so he could be an improver.

Peter and Paul Snowden were particularly strong when it came to the colts and produced several with obvious ability such as Aftermath, Nitrous and Barbaric.

Aftermath ($170,000 Spirit Of Boom colt) ran second behind stablemate War Memorial (50.81) in a tight finish and he stood out because of the tougher run in transit and the dash he showed in the run home.

Nitrous (50.32) is a $450,000 Deep Field colt and he is blessed with plenty of natural speed, he led and was always in control in posted a clear length win without ever being threatened. The runner-up in that heat was Postcode from the Waterhouse/Bott yard and he made good ground after being taken off the speed.

Barbaric (50.88), a $900,000 I Am Invincible-Mimi Lebrock colt, sat up outside the lead in his heat then after a small shake from Tommy Berry extended late.

Godolphin was again to the fore in the fillies heats with In Flanders coming from well off the pace to win an 847m heat and though the time wasn’t there (51.40) once she wound up she looked very strong on the line.

Choisir filly Every Rose wins her trial at Randwick

There’s plenty of talent in her pedigree though, with Group 1 winner Romneya her grand dam and Golden Slipper winner Bint Marscay her fourth dam.

Every Rose is a filly you won’t miss in the yard on race day, with her flashy white blaze and white feet, and she has her share of talent too. She enjoyed a nice smother behind the speed in her 847m heat then put them away easily stretching out to an almost two length win in 50.08.

She’s trained by Mark Newnham and is a half-sister to talented pair Academy and Smartedge.

The fastest of the 852m trials went to Ticket To Ride (50.17), by 2015 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver, and while she only won by a small margin she always looked to have it covered.

And one of the more visually impressive efforts among the fillies was from $750,000 Zoustar miss Fall On A Star (50.53), she came from last in her heat and picked up those in front with a fair amount of ease and only moderate urging from Brenton Avdulla.

Check out the results and replays from Monday's official two-year-old trials at Randwick