Plenty of interest in the juvenile heats at the Warwick Farm trials on Tuesday morning with Group III ATC Breeders Plate winner Global Quest edged out by the full brother to Group I winner and Royal Ascot hero Merchant Navy.
They went very slowly in this heat so not sure what to make of it, but the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained Setanta hit the line well under some urging to finish ahead of Global Quest, who wasn’t asked for much.
The second highest priced horse from Inglis Easter at $2.3 million, he runs in the Aquis colours for a syndicate that also includes his breeder Chris Barham and after three trials, two of them this time in work looks ready for race day.
Setanta is the last foal from terrific producer Legally Bay, who died last year.
Fastnet Rock also had a smart filly win at the trials in Goddess, who is from the same stable as Setanta and was also foaled and raised at the same farm being a Segenhoe homebred.
She’s had three trials now and won them all, this one particularly impressive as she jumped well, travelled deep and kept extending right through the line to win running away by a length and a half. Can’t wait to see her on race day!
She’s a three-quarter sister to G1 winner Manuel and half-sister to G3 winner Taking Aim, stakes-placed Witherspoon and good Hong Kong winner Sun Patch. Her stakes-winning dam Girl Hussler has had four to race all winners and Goddess should keep her record perfect.
The Gary Portelli trained Mystic Vein holds some interest on the pedigree front as he’s a half-brother to dual Group I winner Platelet, who made news at Magic Millions when her colt by Exceed and Excel made a whopping $1.8 million!
That was his third trial although first this year and he was quite green, so will take improvement from the outing, but does have talent.
Click here for all the trial results with Sale Mail at Breednet and here at Racing NSW with video.
