There were five heats at the Warwick Farm trials on Tuesday morning won by some interesting juveniles including a Japanese conceived and foaled in the UK filly, plus a smart looking colt by Castelvecchio.
Trained by Richard Litt as was his dual Group I winning sire Castelvecchio, talented colt Il Passero was having his third trial this prep and has shown good improvement each time he has stepped out. This time he was sent forward to lead and kicked away to win by more than a length in the quickest time of the 2YO heats.
Il Passero was the second most expensive yearling from the first crop of Castelvecchio and was purchased by Galletta Constructions for $350,000 from the Arrowfield draft at Magic Millions. He is from unraced Redoute’s Choice mare Ballet Blanc from the family of Group II winner The Heavyweight and stakes-winners such as Malibu Style and Excelorada.
The Amanda Turner trained Russian Revolution filly Rosa Cara has had two trials for two wins and looks quick and professional, transferring her talents from the synthetic track of her first trial to grass for this impressive win.
She was snapped up from the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale by her trainer for $150,000 and has an interesting mix in her pedigree being by speed sire Russian Revolution from a Kiwi bred half-sister to Group I ATC Australian Derby winner Tavago.
Two interesting fillies went to the post together here, the Ciaron Maher trained Lord Kanaloa filly Ocean Proud edging out the Godolphin runner Crepe Myrtle, a $900,000 purchase for them from Inglis Easter.
Ocean Proud runs for her breeders and was conceived in Japan to Southern Hemisphere time and foaled in the UK before travelling back to Australia with her dam Tosen Proud, who was in foal to Frankel. A full sister to Group I winning sire Brave Smash (Jpn), Tosen Proud produced a colt from the Frankel mating before producing a filly by Maurice (Jpn), who she is back in foal to again.
Ocean Proud has two older full siblings that have also come to Australia to race and while they have placed, they are yet to win a race.
By champion sire Exceed and Excel, Crepe Myrtle is the second foal of Group I ATC Coolmore Classic winner Dixie Blossoms and she showed dramatic improvement from her first trial back in January when she messed up the start and trailed in 35 lengths behind subsequent stakes-placed filly Chateau Miraval. Onwards and upwards!
Additional heat winners were Stormfield (Written By) and And Found (Microphone).
Click here for trial results at Breednet with Sale Mail and at Racing NSW with video.