Juvenile Trial Watch – Records and Overdue

The barrier trials at Warwick Farm on Monday morning featured six heats for juveniles won by a variety of youngsters including one by a sire that's looking to break records with his two year-olds and one by a sire that is overdue for a winner.

Snitzel equalled Without Fear's 40-year-old season record of thirty juvenile winners (29 in Australia) in 2015/16 and now he's on target to claim it for himself.

Remarkably, he could set a new mark well before the end of this season, because he's already posted 16 winners - eleven more than he'd compiled by this time last year.

Winning the first of the juvenile heats was Snitzel filly Grasslands, who promises to add to his tally sooner rather than later.

A $420,000 Magic Millions purchase for China Horse Club from the Mill Park draft, the Michael Freedman trained Grasslands made her debut with an inconclusive seventh of nine in the Listed ATC Gimcrack Stakes last spring when slowly away.

She jumped on terms this time in her first appearance since then and travelled smoothly for Kerrin McEvoy up on the pace before forging clear to win by more than a length held together in 47.40 seconds.

A full sister to juvenile stakes-winner Modern Wonder, she looms as a certain winner for her sire before the end of the season.

While Snitzel can't stop siring winners, Vinery Stud's young gun All Too Hard is finding it a frustrating business.

He leads the first season sires table by earnings courtesy of his nine place-getters, most, if not all of them, in the metropolitan area.

The John Thompson trained All Too Hard colt Cuba looks like he's ready to go to the races judging by this performance at his second trial this preparation.

Cuba did everything right for Tye Angland and went to the line under his own steam to win by a neck in 47 seconds.

A $250,000 Magic Millions purchase for his trainer from the Kitchwin Hills draft, Cuba runs in the colours of his breeder and is the second foal of Tabasco Kitten, a half-sister by Redoute's Choice to Group II winner Alizes, the grand-dam of Group I ATC Golden Rose winner Astern.

Tabasco Kitten is from Group I winner La Baraka, a daughter of champion filly Triscay, so Cuba lacks for nothing in the pedigree department.

Other juvenile trial winners were Velocano (All American), Sweet Deal (Casino Prince), Lightz (Sepoy) and The Man (I Am Invincible).

Click here for all the results.