Victoria’s first 2YO race of the season will be run at Flemington on Saturday
A week after Sydney ran its first two-year-old races of the season, the Breeders' Plate and Gimcrack Stakes, Flemington will host Victoria's first juvenile race on Saturday.
The $175,000 Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) will see a field of nine go around, including a $1.6 million yearling and a few sons of first-season sires.
Below is a look at the horses who make up this year's field.
1 – ALAA PLENTY: Scratched.
2 – BLUE ILLUSION: Son of high-profile first-season stallion Blue Point out of a Street Cry mare who is also the dam of Group 3 runner-up Portray. Trained by James Cummings, who won this race last year with Zulfiqar, Blue Illusion looked to have plenty in handy when effortless winning an 800m Flemington jumpout on September 28. Second in that race was Eject, who had previously won a Cranbourne trial by 2-3/4 lengths.
3 – BODYGUARD: Cost $1.6 million at Magic Millions, which was no real shock given the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt is by champion stallion I Am Invincible out of a daughter of Golden Slipper Mossfun. Was narrowly beaten by fellow James Harron Bloodstock seven-figure colt Espionage at the Randwick trials on September 18, a formline that was franked last weekend when Espionage won the Group 3 Breeders' Plate.
4 – Centre Square: Another by Blue Point, who was a $100,000 buy for his trainer Ciaron Maher at this year's Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. Will be the first to race from Fastnet Rock mare Jidder Bug and got a look at the straight when second, beaten about two lengths, by Arabian Summer on September 28.
5 – CERONS: Interesting to see this $50,000 Street Boss colt bob up in the field, given he's trained by Brett Canavough at Scone. Only public appearance to date was a Newcastle trial on September 29 when he finished second, beaten around 4-1/4 lengths. By Anamoe's sire, Cerons is out of the Exceed And Excel mare Sauternes who is from a high-performing New Zealand family that includes Group 1 winner Gee I Jane and Katie Lee. Is the youngest horse in the race, at least four weeks younger than any of his rivals, being an October 21 foal.
6 – Dublin Down: One for the first-season sire followers, being a son of Vinery stallion Exceedance, who won a Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes down the Flemington straight. Will be the first to race for O'Reilly mare Dublin Lass and while a number of his rivals were jumping out at Flemington on September, he was 200km away at Ararat impressively winning an 850m trial. Also stepped out in the Cranbourne trial won by Eject, in which he finished fifth. One of five August foals in the race and the oldest of them, having been born on August 2.
7 – Royal Hill: Trevor Andrews-trained colt who worked to the line nicely under light riding to finish third, about 2-1/2 lengths behind Arabian Summer, in an 800m Flemington jumpout on September 28. He's one who will relish the extra 200m of Saturday's race, and further later in his career, being by So You Think out of the Redoute's Choice mare Lanesborough, who is a half-sister to VRC Derby winner Blackfriars and Larrocha, who won the Southern Australian Oaks when that 2500m event carried Group 1 status.
8 – WOLFGANG: Caught the eye of champion jockey James McDonald, who sought the ride, after impressing in two jumpouts, the first a 650m win at Cranbourne before a third placing behind Puissance Power over 800m last week up the straight. A $500,000 son of Exceed And Excel who has Group 1 bloodlines. Her dam Serenade was a Group 3 placegetter but is a half-sister to Group 1 Stratum Star and dual Group 3 winner and Group 1 placegetter Prague.
9 – ALTERMATUM: Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained filly who is by Zoustar out of the Fastnet Rock Rock mare Alter Call, who is a half-sister to Golden Slipper winner Estijaab. Hence, she cost $1.15m at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale. Wasn't knocked around in the Cranbourne trial won by Eject and finished about a neck clear of Wolfgang in last week's Flemington jumpout won by Puissance Power.
10 – IMMORTAL JOY: Ben, JD and Will Hayes-trained daughter of I Am Immortal who is out of the Equiano mare Joyano, who has had two to race, including three-time winner Pammy Joy. Has jumped out twice in preparation for debut, the latest a third placing in the slick jumpout won by Blue Illusion when she was well held but did appear to have a little left in the tank.
