News

Hopes and dreams go on the line as new-season babies step out at Randwick

18th Sep 2014

Sydney Morning Herald - John Hollaway - Friday, 19 September 2014

Gai Waterhouse and John O'Shea have the numbers at Monday's official two-year-olds' trials on the Kensington track at Randwick, but it is Team Hawkes' three representatives which will command most attention on the day.

Waterhouse has 15 runners across 10 of the trials scheduled, one more than the team assembled by O'Shea made up of Darley breds – five by Bernardini, four by Megdalia d'Oro, two by Lonhro and one each by Denman, Hard Spun and Street Cry, which passed away overnight on Wednesday.

Waterhouse's team consists of 14 bought from Australian yearling sales and one home-bred filly, Pierette, which contests the last heat.

The trainer's most expensive group are Fastnet Rock colt Helford River, which cost $700,000; Dark Steel (by Redoute's Choice) a $600,000 buy. Prevail (Redoute's Choice) which fetched $500,000 and Northern Meteor colt Northern Conqueror, a $450,000 buy.

Overall, Waterhouse's 14 sale-ring buys cost $4,225,000 at an average of $301,178, which is enormous but it pales in significance to the trio of Hawkes Racing, which sold for $1.5 million, $1.1 million and $750,000, or $3,335,000 and an average of $1,116,666.

Hawkes Racing's first runner is in heat three, Sooboog (pictured), the full-brother to Snitzerland bought by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, who also paid $750,000 for the half-brother to Golden Slipper winner Mossfun, named Mawahibb, which is the highest outlayed for a son of Magic Albert. Mawahibb runs in heat seven.

Their third runner is in heat eight and will race as Lake Geneva. John Hawkes signed for the Fastnet Rock filly from Hips Don't Lie at $1.1 million on behalf of O. Loebekken, and she is bred to display super speed.

The Kensington trials probably bring forth one of the most outstanding collection of juveniles for many years as they strive to gain starts in the Breeders Plate and Gimcrack Stakes on October 4.

Chris Waller has three two-year-olds entered but he had eight youngsters trial at Rosehill last Tuesday in one heat.

Waller has changed his training regime with his two-year-old brigade this season since linking up with Denise Martin's Star Thoroughbreds syndications. His three runners will carry Star's silks. Echo Warrior (by Tickets) and Echo Queen (Starspangledbanner) cost $120,000 and $170,000 respectively and are raced solely by J.W.L. Tan. The third is Snitzel youngster Austrian, which cost $150,000 and is raced by a syndicate of 14.

Peter and Paul Snowden have four in the trails, the first being Wolf Cry (heat one), a Street Cry colt which races in the colours of James Bester; Hand From Above (by More Than Ready), which cost $125,000, in heat three; Caro Kann, a $140,000 Denman colt, in heat five and Self Esteem (Stratum), which cost $170,000 and runs in heat eight.

Clarry Conners (6), David Payne (5), Gerald Ryan (4) have multiple runners and the partnership of David Hayes and Tom Dabernig has two coming from Euroa – Moral Outrage (by Stratum) and Miss Idyllic (by Exceed And Excel). James McDonald is booked to ride both.