The first trials for juveniles in Sydney this season took place at Randwick on Tuesday morning with two heats over 735m and both were won by the progeny of first season sires and trained by Lee Curtis.
The quickest of the two heats was won by Extreme Choice filly Avaricious, who showed speed from a wide gate to lead and when asked to keep going by Jay Ford got clear of her rival Maurice’s Medad to win by a length and a half in 43.36 seconds.
A $200,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Sledmere Stud draft for Mystery Downs/John Foote Bloodstock, Avaricious is a half-sister to smart three year-old Cultural Amnesia.
Bred by China Horse Club, she is the second foal of Zenon, a metro winning half-sister by Super Saver (USA) to stakes-winner I Have No Fear from Group II winner Countess Christie, both of those stakes-winners having been successful at two.
Newgate Farm’s Extreme Choice was a brilliant two year-old winning the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes and training on to win the Group I MVRC Moir Stakes at three, but fertility issues have resulted in a first crop of just 48 two year-olds to run for him this season.
The son of Not a Single Doubt stands at a fee of $22,000.
Arrowfield Stud’s Japanese superstar Maurice (Jpn) had the runner-up to Avaricious in Maurice’s Medad and he also had the winner of the other juvenile heat with the flashy chestnut I Love Lucy mustering speed from an inside draw to lead all the way and win in 44.07.
She was too sharp for Little Miss Magic (Written Tycoon) winning by the best part of a length with Flying Artie colt Schwarzenegger catching they eye with his strong finishing third.
A $150,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Arrowfield draft for Lee Curtis, I Love Lucy is the second foal of Flying Spur mare Lustrous , a half-sister to Group I placed Silk Pins and to the dam of Group II winner Gypsy Diamond.
The Japanese Horse of the Year in 2015, Maurice has his first crop of Japanese bred two year-olds running this year and has already sired nine winners.
He is not on the Arrowfield roster this year due to the pandemic.