I Am Invincible’s exciting young sire son Home Affairs was the talk of the town after the yearling sales this year when his progeny topped both Magic Millions and Inglis Easter and at Randwick on Monday morning he had two runners at the official 2YO trials and both of them came out winners.
The first trial of the morning featured the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Home Affairs colt I’m Ya Huckleberry, a good looking bay clearly stamped by his sire.
Cool and calm in the parade ring, he was all business when the gates opened and quickly took up the lead for Adam Hyeronimus before going on to score by two and a half lengths in a slick time of 49.54 seconds.
“He was broken in nice and early and has had a really good education and a few preparations through the stable,” said Adrian Bott.
“He's always put his hand up to be an early contender. He's got plenty of strength, so I think he'll improve nicely off that hit out.
“I like the manner in which he did it. He was very professional and showed natural speed and when the pressure was applied to him, I like the way that he absorbed that pressure.
“He seemed lovely and settled throughout the trial. When Adam asked him to quicken, there was a nice response there and particularly late.”
The Group III ATC Breeders Plate (1000m) on Saturday week at Randwick is the obvious target race.
“That's sort of the program we've followed over the previous years and which we've been able to be a successful with. So he'll stick on that path and hopefully see him line up in the Breeders,” Bott added.
A $400,000 Magic Millions purchase from Kia Ora Stud for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds, I’m Ya Huckleberry is the second foal of Group III placed Exceed and Excel mare Key, a full sister to stakes-winner Oz Empress and grand-daughter of champion 3YO Filly Princess Coup.
Key was bought by Kia Ora for $600,000 from the Magic Millions Strawberry Hill Dispersal when in foal to Home Affairs with I’m Ya Huckleberry the result.
In the very next trial, the Waterhouse Bott stable struck again, but this time with a filly by Home Affairs.
Ridden by Adam Hyeronimus, Home Invasion was a little keen in the run, but turned in an equally professional effort to lead and win by nearly two lengths.
“She did a few little things wrong today, so there's a lot of improvement to come off the back of today for her,” said Adrian Bott, who will be looking towards the Group III ATC Gimcrack Stakes for Home Invasion.
“She's just a little bit above herself today going into that. She just wanted to overdo it and just lay out slightly there throughout, but it's good to see that the last furlong she knuckled down really well, lengthened late and was strong through the line.
“So, as I said, there's a couple of things that she'll be able to iron out before the race, but she's been pretty professional in everything she's done at home and I'm sure she'll be much better for that experience today.
“She's been another one that right from the outset has shown plenty of natural speed and is pretty much a ready-made 2YO type. There's plenty of strength to her, so she should sustain a nice preparation.”
A $220,000 Magic Millions purchase from Segenhoe Stud for Darby Racing, Home Invasion is the third foal of Catwalk, a winning sister to stakes-winner Fox Swift from the family of Group winning fillies Pay My Bail, White Moss and White Sage.
Home Affairs has a big first crop of two year-olds to run for him and 75 of them have been entered for the Golden Slipper including both I’m Ya Huckleberry and Home Invasion and Adrian Bott is liking what he is seeing.
“I think for everything that we've seen so far, they've just been like those two horses that have been produced already today. Just very natural early running types and physically a lot of strength and substance to them. So I think that'll take them a long way,” he added.
Home Affairs is busy covering his fourth book of mares at Coolmore this spring at a fee of $82,500.
