Trial swings Trapeze back into form

4 min read

By Bren O'Brien

Star sprinter Trapeze Artist (Snitzel) looks to have put an indifferent first-up performance in the G2 Expressway S. behind him after an authoritative win in a Randwick trial on Monday morning.

The three-time Group 1 winner could only manage fourth when resuming earlier this month at Rosehill, beaten nearly three lengths in a race won by Alizee (Sepoy).

Trapeze Artist

However, pushed to the front by Blake Shinn, he dominated in an eight-horse trial winning by 2.8l, and while his overall time of 1 min 02.40s for the 1045m wasn't overly fast, he did run home his last 600m in 33.4s untouched, which was the easily the quickest late section of the longer trials.

Trainer Gerald Ryan told Racenet that he wasn't too concerned by Trapeze Artist's Expressway S. performance and that he was going to improve through the preparation, which is aimed towards a defence of the two Group 1s he won last autumn, the G1 TJ Smith S. and the G1 All Aged S.

"I haven’t been worried about him,” Ryan said.

“He’s very hard to get fit – it’s been well documented that the deeper he goes into a preparation the better he gets."

"The deeper he goes into a preparation the better he gets." - Gerald Ryan

“It’s been two weeks since he raced so this morning, I wanted to give him a good hit-out and he went well.”

Trapeze Artist will have another trial before heading to the G1 Canterbury S. over 1300m on March 9.

Behind him in the trial were Group winners Pierata (Pierro) and Dixie Blossoms (Street Sense {USA}). Pierata missed the start before circling the field and eventually finishing third, while Dixie Blossoms charged home to grab fourth.

Slippers fit and flying

The lone 2-year-old trial over the 1045m was taken out by Evening Slippers (Snitzel), the full sister to Group 1 winner Sweet Idea.

The $1.8 million filly's one racetrack appearance for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott was a third in the Kirkham Plate behind Time For Reign (Time For War) back in October while she has now won both her trials this time in.

She led all the way and held off John Sargent's pair Zoumaze (Zoustyle) and Emeralds (Sebring).

Evening Slippers pictured as a yearling

Brad Widdup's Sally's Day (More Than Ready {USA}), the full sister to Lyndhurst stallion Better Than Ready, ran the quickest of the 2-year-old 740m trials in 43.20s. winning her second trial in succession by 2.3l, having led all the way.

Fourth behind her in that trial was last start G3 Widden S, winner Amercement (Lonhro).

Earlier another Godolphin filly, Kiamichi (Sidestep), a winner on debut back in November, won her trial well despite tracking wide, stopping the clock at 43.80s.

Rome (Pierro) stepped up his autumn preparation with a narrow trial win over fellow stablemate Enforcement (I Am Invincible) in the faster of the two colts' heats, while another Snowden youngster, Strasbourg (I Am Invincible) closed impressively late to win his first trial of the campaign in 44.00s.

Price stars ready for return

At Cranbourne, Group 1 winners Grunt (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) and Seabrook (Hinchinbrook) both trialled well despite being beaten.

Grunt finished third under rider Michael Dee in his 990 metre heat behind the Group 1 winning sprinter Malaguerra (Magnus), closing well late on.

The G1 Australian Guineas and Makybe Diva S. winner is on a path back to the 1600m of Flemington again this time in with the $5m All-Star Mile on his radar. He pleased trainer Mick Price greatly.

"’He did everything I wanted to see," Price told Racing.com.

"He’s going great. His attitude is good and the horse is good." - Mick Price

‘’Another 100 yards he probably sticks his head out and wins. He’s going great. His attitude is good and the horse is good."

Grunt

Grunt will resume in the G3 Shaftesbury Avenue Hcp on March 2, while G1 Champagne S. winner Seabrook will also resume the day after her second behind Golden Halo (Your Song).

It was a big morning for Price with his G1 Vinery Stud S. winner Hiyaam (High Chaparral {Ire}) winning her 1550m trial as she heads towards a possible comeback in Saturday's G2 Peter Young S. at Caulfield on her way to the G1 Australian Cup.

The Egyptian pictured as a yearling

There were four 2-year-old trials, with The Egyptian (The Factor {USA}) clearly the most impressive, winning by four lengths in the fastest of any of the 800m heats the morning, 46.23s.

A $50,000 Magic Millions buy, the colt, who is out of a half-sister to the imported stallion Myboycharlie (Ire), looks a very promising horse for Shea Eden having won both his trials impressively to date.