Monday marks an exciting day in the racing season when the two-year-olds step out at Randwick for Sydney's official 2YO trials at Randwick.
The set of Barrier trials are qualifiers for the first two juvenile contests of the season – the $150,000 Listed Breeders Plate (1000m) for the colts and geldings and the $150,000 Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) for the fillies – at Randwick on October 3.
In total there are 94 youngsters entered to contest 12 heats with 47 colts and three geldings as well as 44 fillies.
Champion trainer Gai Waterhouse has the most runners with 11 members from the Tulloch Lodge team entered. Godolphin trainer John O'Shea has 10 starters while Warwick Farm's Bjorn Baker has nine babies entered.
Other trainers with strong representation are Peter and Paul Snowden (six entries), Peter Moody (five), Gerald Ryan (four), Paul Perry (four) and Gary Nickson (four).
Of the sires represented, Darley's Exceed And Excel leads the way with nine juveniles ahead of deceased stallion Beneteau with six and other proven two-year-old sires More Than Ready and Snitzel both have four starters.
The freshman stallions are also well represented with Foxwedge and Smart Missile both having four runners, Sepoy has three, Helmet two and So You Think one.
The most expensive yearling to trial is the Hawkes Racing-trained colt Ready Fire Aim (Sepoy x Sister Madly) that cost $1.2 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale in January. He will contest heat 4 at 10.15am.
At the opposite end of the runners price tags is Craig Ritchie's filly, Omega Force (Street Sense x Spirit Of Pompeii) an $8500 buy from the Inglis VOBIS Gold sale in Melbourne in April. The bay or brown filly will strut her stuff in heat 9 at 11.30am.
"It is always an exciting time of the year when we get to see the early season two year olds go through their paces, and last year in the very first heat we saw Vancouver win his trial,'' Australian Turf Club chief executive Darren Pearce said.
"Monday is an important first step for the young horses as their owners and trainers start to live the dream of qualifying a runner in the $3.5 million Longines Golden Slipper.''
The 840m starts from 9.30am, with the final heat due to start at 12.15pm. The trials will be open to the public, who along with owners and all connections, will be welcome to a free hot and cold breakfast.
Free parking will be available in the Main Drive from Alison Road, and the taxi way entry from Ascot Lane. All of the trials will also be shown live on Sky Thoroughbred Central.
Click here to views the fields for the 12 trials.
