| Heat | Horse |
|---|---|
| 2 | Jadzia |
| 3 | Bossy Benita |
| 6 | Taupin |
| 7 | Milos Filos |
| 10 | Point Barrow |
| 11 | Humza Bay |
It was a high-quality set of trials at Sandown last Thursday as we slowly build out way towards the Autumn Carnival (well in reality Summer Carnival!).
The team from The Trial Files have dissected the thirteen heats, identifying a few horses to put in your blackbook.
Tim Kitten was back at the trials in heat three. He was given a really soft time of it, asked to do little over the concluding stages.
Heat 1
Stretan Ruler – a half-brother to Stretan Angel being out of the same dam – ran second in the Merson Cooper back in Spring. He looks to have come back well judging by a slick trial win.
Big Wigs ran second. He’s also trained by Phillip Stokes. He jumped-out nicely last campaign but didn’t make it to the sports. This was his first trial this campaign and he went well enough under light riding, only narrowly going under to his stablemate.
No blackbooker per se, but a couple of nice horses to keep an eye on.
Heat 2 – Jadzia (1st)
Blackbooked this Ole Kirk filly off her Cranbourne jump-out on December 29 and this performance only franked that original opinion. She’s a lovely filly. Settled off speed, loomed up under a strong hold and put them away quickly when asked for a bit of an effort. Has at least a couple of gears, come raceday there may be more. Grahame Begg has a lovely filly on his hands and I’d expect her to be targeting the Blue Diamond Preview next week. She’s already into $15 for the Blue Diamond having not yet raced – clearly others share the opinion!
Leopard Shark worked home strongly. She is mid-preparation having run well at Cranbourne on debut. Won’t be a maiden for long.
Heat 3 – Bossy Benita (1st)
They don’t trial much better than this mare. She’s a good trialler as a rule, but this was outstanding. She sat off a bunny in Midwest but quickly put him to the sword in the straight, posting slick time for the 1000m. She’s still only an 80-rater but expect her to quickly improve on that mark this campaign. Think she can win first up at 1200m.
Heat 6 – Taupin (2nd)
Phillip Stokes trains this unraced 3yo son of Wrote. He hit the line strongly in a back-straight jump-out at Pakenham on December 30 and again impressed last Thursday. He was up on speed throughout, going to the line under a good hold, narrowly beaten. Like the way this bloke moves and doubt he will be a maiden for long.
Cannae took a bit of riding to get going but he picked up strongly late. Danny O’Brien stable airborne. Mayb be another to keep an eye on, maybe 1400m +.
Heat 7 – Milos Filos (1st)
Lovely jump-out form Milos Filos. She settled midfield but once they got through the dip in the home straight she let down beautifully, under light riding from Celine Gaudray. One of the standout jump-outs of the morning. She jumped-out at Kyneton on December 12 and was given a soft time of it, but this was the effort of a filly ready to head back to the races.
Heat 10 – Point Barrow (4th)
Nice heat. Miss Aria won the trial under very light riding. Nice effort.
Point Barrow is set for a huge preparation. She settled a long way off them, but took plenty of ground late under the lightest of riding from Daniel Stackhouse. This filly had an excellent spring and suspect she can elevate to even high levels in the autumn. Only had a ten-week break, so the one jump-out might be enough to head back to the sports.
Heat 11 – Humza Bay (1st)
This was the standout performance of the morning! He’s a lovely horse, this bloke. If you only remember one name form this review make it Humza Bay.
Unbeaten in two runs in NZ, he’s settled in very well to Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr’s yard. He hit the line strongly in a Cranbourne jump-out on January 5 but really ramped it up with this super trial win. Settled last, picked them off in the twinkling of an eye, and ran good time under the lightest of riding from Mark Zahra. Serious horse.
