Trials were at Hawkesbury and the Gold Coast on Tuesday with a half-brother to a Group One winner looking ready to go with another brilliant trial, a couple of winter carnival hopefuls winding up, a quinella for Tagaloa and a double for All Too Hard.
Heat 13 at Hawkesbury saw the unraced Hayek turn in another outstanding trial and all eyes will be on him when Bjorn Baker produces him at the races.
He won this trial by over four lengths but go back to last November and he won one by 14 lengths, having also won his heat at the official two-year-old trials on the Kensington Track.
He cost his trainer and Clarke Bloodstock $300,000 at Magic Millions Gold Coast and is the half-brother by Capitalist to Group One winner Stratum Star and Kia Ora Stud ‘s Group winning two-year-old Prague.
Ironically Prague sired the runner-up, the unraced Aliza, trained by Stephen O’Halloran.
She looked to have something in hand in this, her second trial.
The third horse is also notable, giving us our first look at the $1.2million Extreme Choice colt Pimlico with the O’Shea/Charlton stable.
Bought by the Schwarz team of Rosemont Stud and Suman Hedge Bloodstock from Newgate at Inglis Easter, he was finding the line with plenty of purpose.
All Too Hard’s first winner came in heat 10 with the Waterhouse/Bott trained The Little General.
Bought by Newgate’s Jim Carey for $170,000 at the Magic Millions Strawberry Hill Stud Dispersal as a weanling, he went through Magic Millions Gold Coast in the Newgate draft, making $200,000 to Waterhouse/Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds.
The first foal of Sally’s Day, a stakes-placed half-sister to Better Than Ready, he’s only had the one start when fourth to Comedy in the Kirkham Plate last October off a single 740m trial beforehand.
He’s now been gelded.
Heat 11 saw Fierce Dragon making his first public appearance.
A $125,000 buy for his trainer Matt Vella from Riversdale at Inglis Classic, he’s out of a three-quarter sister to Group winner Ravi and UK Listed winner Elzaam, both by Redoute’s Choice.
Earlier in the morning, in a heat over 1000m, Tagaloa’s Mysterious Master beat Tagaloa’s Baby Sakura.
Mysterious Master was a $10,000 buy for CS Racing Queensland from Merrivale Farm at Magic Millions Adelaide then produced a great pinhooking result, making $400,000 to Chow Chun Tak Andrew / Wong Ho Hei Lawrence from KBL Thoroughbreds and sent to the Waterhouse/Bott stable.
He’s the second foal of Magic Albert mare La Magique from a family which includes elite UK gallopers Dr Devious, Saxon Warrior and Dancing Rain, and in this part of the world, Group I winner Awesome Rock.
At the Gold Coast, the Toby Emonds/Stephen McLean trained filly Darn Hot Lady couldn’t have been more impressive winning easily.
A 140,000 yearling buy from Magic Millions for Edmonds from a family that includes Vic Derby winner Rebel Raider, she has been to the races once, leading them up in the Magic Millions The Debut on a heavy track and nailed on the line by Amosu.
She’d also trialed impressively before that so looks a filly with plenty of upside and will be kicking off in the early winter carnival a fit and promising one.
The runner-up Profoundly also looks to have something and found the line nicely.
A half-brother to Group III winner Sebonack by Farnan, she was an easy Eagle Farm winner on March 1 at her second start.