A big step was taken in the spring campaigns of two of our top-class gallopers yesterday, with both Athabascan and Lady Laguna returning to the trials at Randwick.
Athabascan, fresh off an autumn that culminated in a Group 1 2nd-placing in the Sydney Cup, was just out for a quiet stretch of the legs in what shaped as a sharp heat. Under minimal riding, he worked through the line nicely and co-trainer John O’Shea could not have been more pleased “We couldn’t have asked for a better outing than what we saw. That will lay a nice foundation for the campaign ahead. He can trial again on August 16 before heading to the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes.”
Athabascan finished 4th in Randwick trial on Monday.
The campaign will initially be geared around having Athabascan primed for the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap in October before training onto the Group 1 Melbourne Cup a month later.
Group 1 Canterbury Stakes winner Lady Laguna was also there for a quiet time. The mare thoroughly enjoyed her spell following a fruitful autumn campaign and was understandably quite fresh yesterday. Tyler Schiller headed north to win the Darwin Cup, so Jason Collett took the reins “I just held her together, but she towed me to the line and was good through it. Very happy with that.”
Lady Laguna finished 3rd in Randwick trial on Monday.
The mare will likely trial again next week, with a chance she’ll take her place in the 1100m Group 3 Toy Show Quality at Randwick on August 24. It’s a race that could purely be used as a starting point, with the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes on the agenda second up as she looks to secure a place in the $20m Everest in October.
Also in New South Wales on Monday, this time at the trials in Hawkesbury, Emilia Jane stepped out for the second time this preparation at Hawkesbury. This talented New Zealand-bred mare has always shown plenty of promise and looks set to start to deliver on that after another encouraging trial performance.
Emilia Jane finished 2nd in Hawkesbury trial on Monday.
We look forward to seeing Athabascan and Lady Laguna trialling again in the next fortnight, and in the interim, excitement builds for Emilia Jane’s Australian debut in the coming weeks.