Guardsman impresses at Rosehill juvenile trials
Guardsman, the most expensive yearling by Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) to sell at auction last year, inched ever closer to his race day debut at Friday’s Rosehill trials, winning his fourth trial appearance over 900 metres.
Bought by James Harron Bloodstock for $1.6 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the Michael Freedman-trained colt had two trials late last year, placing in both, and was having his second trial this preparation when he kicked clear under Tommy Berry to score by 1.7 lengths in 56.2 seconds.
Goldolphin colt Cenotaph (Lonhro) was second, with stakes winner Trementi (Hellbent) just 0.2 lengths further back in third. Guardsman is out of Wanted (Fastnet Rock) mare Wanted Lady, a winning half-sister to Listed winner Missy Cummings (Magnus), the dam of Group 1 winner Mizzy (Zoustar).
In the next heat, $1 million Zoustar (Northern Meteor) colt Jet again looked full of promise after winning his first trial of the preparation on March 21.
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Jet covered 900 meters in 55.84 seconds to defeat Explicit (Snitzel), a three-quarter brother to Coolmore Stud’s first-season sire King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice), by 1.4 lengths, with Lockhart (Brazen Beau) another 0.4 lengths back in third.
Bred by John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds, Jet was purchased by the James Harron Colt Partnership and is the first foal of Listed-winning mare Villami (Foxwedge) from the family of Group 1 winners Personal and Lone Rock, who are both by Fastnet Rock (Danehill).
Earlier on, the Peter Snowden-trained Snitzel colt Beadman claimed his first trial win over 1000 metres after finishing second on his first appearance over 792 metres at the Warwick Farm trials on March 21.
He covered the trip in 1:02.40, defeating Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) colt Tiberius by 0.2 lengths with the third placed Journeyman (The Autumn Sun) another 3.5 lengths behind.
A $900,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling for China Horse Club, Newgate, Go Bloodstock and Trilogy from Arrowfield Stud, Beadman is out of Listed winner Iffranesia (Iffraaj).
Meanwhile, Group-winning fillies Within The Law (Lope De Vega) and Memo (Capitalist) made an appearance in preparation for the $1 million Percy Sykes Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) next week and were second and third respectively behind Sequista (D’Argento).
On debut in December, the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained filly placed in the Inglis Nursery (RL, 1000m) behind Within The Law, and claimed Friday’s 900-metre heat by 2.9 lengths over that filly in 55.31 seconds.
Out of winning I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) mare I’m A Jewel from the family of Group 1-winning sprinter Jetball (Marscay), she was a $100,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase for her trainers out of Bowness Stud’s draft.