Chris Scholtz reviews the Randwick 2YO barrier trials on September 17 with comments and ratings for all heats.
RANDWICK 2YO TRIALS – September 17
All Heats 850 metres
FASTEST HEAT TIMES48.96 (Heat 1) - Exceed The Stars (Trainer Mark Newnham; Sire Star Witness colt)
49.14 (Heat 8) - Honey Go Lightly (Anthony & Edward Cummings; Wandjina filly)49.37 (Heat 2) - Sylvia’s Memory (Marc Quinn; Bianconi filly)
49.42 (Heat 12) - King’s Champ (Gerald Ryan; Deep Field colt)49.45 (Heat 4) - Bring The Ransom (Bjorn Baker; Sebring filly)
49.67 (Heat 14) – Covert Ops (Gerald Ryan; I Am Invincible colt)
49.69 (Heat 11) - Invincible Vision (Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott; I Am Invincible colt)49.70 (Heat 6) – Mayaaseh (Peter & Paul Snowden; Exceed And Excel filly)
49.73 (Heat 9) – Dubious (Ciaran Maher/David Eustace; Not A Single Doubt colt)49.77 (Heat 10) – Calescent (Matthew Dale; Sizzling filly)
49.84 (Heat 7) – Donandkim (Gary Nickson; Smart Missile colt)49.92 (Heat 3) – McLaren (Peter & Paul Snowden; Exceed And Excel colt)
50.33 (Heat 13) – Fortress Command (Gerald Ryan; Sebring colt)FASTEST SECTIONAL TIMES – Last 600m
32.78 - Exceed The Stars (Heat 1)33.54 - Sylvia’s Memory (Heat 2)
33.70 - Bring The Ransom (Heat 4)33.74 - McLaren (Heat 3)
33.80 - King’s Champ (Heat 12)33.81 - Mayaaseh (Heat 6)
33.84 - Donandkim (Heat 7)33.85 - Honey Go Lightly (Heat 8)
33.89 - Covert Ops (Heat 14)33.96 - Head On (Heat 5)
34.06 – Invincible Vision (Heat 11)34.07 – Dubious (Heat 9)
34.26 – Calescent (Heat 10)34.60 – Fortress Command (Heat 13)
TRIAL RATINGS
COLTSXXXXX Exceed THe Stars
XXXX Fiery RedXXXX King's Champ
XXXX LionsgateXXXX Covert Ops
XXX McLarenXXX Autocratic
XXX DuboisXXX Invincible Vision
XXX ColadaFILLIES
XXXX Catch MeXXXX Honey Go Lightly
XXXX Sylvia's MemoryXXXX Bright Rubick
XXX Bring The RansomXXX Satin Socks
XXX MayaasehXXX Amercement
HEAT 1 - C & G
XXXXX EXCEED THE STARS: Has now won two trials like a good colt. Posted fastest time in great style. Classy.XXXX FIERY RED: Went with the winner all the way and will benefit. Big gap to the rest adds merit.
HEAT 2 - FilliesXXX SYLVIA’S MEMORY: Well-educated filly from the country. Professional with natural pace.
XXX BRIGHT RUBICK: Last early, made ground impressively from 300m. Soft to line, has talent.HEAT 3 - C & G
XXX McLAREN: Missed start, recovered to sit fourth turn travelling well. Tall, leggy type was awkward but strong when he balanced up last 100m. Will benefit from this experience.XX UNITE AND CONQUER: Won jump and led with advantage of rail. Held ground, open to improvement.
HEAT 4 - FilliesXXX BRING THE RANSOM: Used speed to take advantage of rails draw and hold lead in line of three. Ridden along for narrow win in good time for the fillies heats.
XXX SATIN SOCKS: Shared lead middle of line of three and went stride for stride with winner last 200m. Had more in hand on line.X STELLAR BLAZE: Settled last before running home in good style last 150m but flattered by railing inside others from 500m.
HEAT 5 - C & GXX HEAD ON: Small, neat colt used rail to share lead and did enough to win in three-way finish. Racy type but this was a messy trial.
XX KRAMERIC: Rosehill trial winner was keen early behind pace and lost ground when pushed wide. Balanced up to make ground under whip, best work last 100m for notable fourth. Hard to gauge where he’s at, concern for his manners.HEAT 6 - Fillies
XXX MAYAASEH: Quality filly with professional attitude. Led and kept finding in good style in reasonable time. Looks a readymade runner.XXX AMERCEMENT: One of the few backmarkers on the day to make an impression, running home strongly from last with plenty to offer. Godolphin team were here for experience, big improver.
HEAT 7 - C & GXX DONANDKIM: Led with advantage of rail and responded well when put under pressure. Looks ready to go to the races.
XX ROME: Sat outside leader and kept giving after having the tougher run. Nice effort with scope for improvement.XXX AUTOCRATIC: Took sit on lead pair and travelled well but took some riding to pick up when sprint went on. Really got into his work last 100m and looks the one to take most benefit from this trial.
HEAT 8 - FilliesXXX HONEY GO LIGHTLY: Dropped into third and chased fast leaders under riding from 400m, kept responding to pressure ride to get measure of second horse on the line. Overall time was quick due to early speed but negative late sectional.
XXXX CATCH ME: Good type and well named as she went fast on the outside of leader then gave a strong kick when called on at 300m. Just worried out of it on the line but given easy time last bit. Impressed.HEAT 9 - C & G
XXX DUBIOUS: Well prepared running youngster from Victorian stable made full use of inside gate to take command and responded when challenged last 200m for comfortable win in moderate time. Set to perform in early races.X DISRUPTOR: Strong individual was beaten for speed but railed from last to get behind the winner from 400m. Had something to offer but not given full opportunity. Improver.
HEAT 10 - FilliesX CALESCENT: Travelled outside line of three in three-horse trial and responded best when put under pressure. Ridden out to line, runner-up under less pressure, big space to third – average trial.
HEAT 11 - C & GXXX INVINCIBLE VISION Million dollar colt did everything right to lead comfortably and responded as you like to see when given a tap or two with whip to keep his mind on the job when others came at him last 300m. Will be well tuned by top stable when he debuts.
XXX COLADA: Came from last along rail with strong surge to get within half-length of winner at 200m under a hold. His rider was then content to hold him together and idle to line when he could have gone quicker. Would have liked to have seen what he had left but looks talented.HEAT 12 - C & G
XXXX KING’S CHAMP: One of the more impressive trials with this colt sitting one out one back before unleashing a sharp sprint from the point of the turn to join the leader and go with him stride for stride over the last 200m with both having something in reserve. Time was good and the form should hold up well under race conditions.XXXX LIONSGATE: Travelled strongly in shared lead and dropped the nuisance chaser when the winner joined in at 250m. Extended strongly to go with him and was equally as good last 100m. Gets a big tick after doing more in the first 400m.
HEAT 13 - C & GXX FORTRESS COMMAND: Got back to last but kept coming under riding from the turn to run down leaders in slow time. They were all under pressure, suspect form on face value.
X REDICON: Racy type from good country stable known for success with youngsters. Has speed to run well early.HEAT 14 - C & G:
XXXX COVERT OPS: Looks as smart as any other winner if you take the big winning margin of eight lengths on face value. Showed sharp acceleration to clear out over last 300m and to the eye looked as if he could have gone quicker.XX CONVINCED: Nice type worked well within himself after settling back. Looked strong last 200m with no intention to chase the first pair.
