Sprint Stakes winner dominant in 900 metre Randwick trial with Galaxy his target this preparation
The Mark Newnham-trained Sprint Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner Splintex (Snitzel) scored a dominant trial victory at Randwick on Thursday, with his trainer saying that the colt’s ultimate goal this preparation is the Galaxy Handicap (Gr 1, 1100m).
Under Josh Parr, the son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) jumped well from the barriers and went to the front. He was two lengths in front at the turn and ran on strongly in the straight with Parr sitting motionless. Splintex scored a two and three quarter length victory over Group 1 winner Shout The Bar (Not A Single Doubt) in a time of 52.92 seconds for the 900 metres.
"Hopefully we might get him through to the Galaxy because he's got good 1100 metre form at Rosehill, he handles soft ground which is generally what we get on Golden Slipper day, and he'd get a fairly light weight," Newnham said.
"He didn't really adapt to Melbourne in a couple of runs there in the spring but there are some nice races here for him," Newnham said.
"He's coming up well."
In the following heat Mizzy (Zoustar) beat the Annabel Neasham-trained Prague (Redoute’s Choice) by a length and a quarter, running the 900 metres in a time of 53.36. Group 1 winner Dreamforce (Fastnet Rock) was a close third.
Dreamforce led from the gates before 2019 Golden Pendant (Gr 2, 1400m) winner Mizzy took the lead before the home turn and was never challenged. Three-year-old colt Prague ran on well in the closing stages, whilst Dreamforce was never asked a question to finish third.
Neasham has said that Prague could return in the Eskimo Prince Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick on February 6.
"He was a little slow away which is how he was trialling last prep as well, so we will work on that," Neasham said.
"But I loved the way he closed off."
In the first of the two-year-old heats, Neasham’s unraced colt Verne (Snitzel) scored a narrow victory over the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Tea Leaves (Sebring).
Settled in second, with the field led by O’ President (Fastnet Rock), Verne was asked to quicken in the straight and fought to the line to hold off the challenge of Tea Leaves on his outside, with Oh President staying on for third.
Aquis Farm bought Verne for $300,000 at last year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and has now trialled three times, placing in his two prior trials. He is out of Helena’s Secret (Five Star Day) making him a brother to Australia Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner Thronum. The colt’s third dam is Helen Street (Troy), the dam of ten winners headed by dual Group 1 winner and champion sire Street Cry (Machiavellian).
Heat 11 saw Corumbene Stud-owned unraced filly Syracuse (Sebring) win her 742 metre trial in a time of 43.72 seconds. The John O’Shea-trained filly beat fellow Corumbene Stud-owned filly Vesuvio (Brazen Beau) by two lengths with another five and a quarter lengths back to Glittery (Medaglia d’Oro) in third.
Syracuse is out of the three-time Listed winner The Messina Nymph (Commands) who has produced one runner to date in the placed gelding Argonauts (Sebring). Her second dam is Charybdis (Royal Academy) is the dam of nine winners headed by multiple Listed winner Why Be (Success Express).
In the following heat the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained and Triple Crown Syndications-raced Mishka Magic (Mikki Isle) was having her first trial and narrowly beat Northuldra (Choisir) in a time of 44.92 seconds for the 742 metres.
The Snowden’s were also responsible for the winner of the following heat when the James Harron Bloodstock-raced Kalashnikov (Capitalist) beat his stablemate Oblique by a length and a quarter.
The son of Newgate Farm-based Capitalist (Written Tycoon) jumped and settled towards the rear of the field. On straightening Kalashnikov went between runners and showed good speed to pull away in the closing stages. He ran a time of 43.74 seconds for the 742 metres.
Kalashnikov is unplaced in two starts to date having finished fifth on debut in the Breeders’ Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) before finishing unplaced over 1000 metres at Randwick last October.
He was bought for $600,000 by James Harron Bloodstock at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Segenhoe Stud and is out of the dual winner Rough Ride (Flying Spur) who is herself a half-sister to 2016 Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) Eagle Way (More Than Ready) as well as stakes winners Assertive Eagle (Danewin), Impressive Eagle (Rubiton) and Soaressa (Twining).
