Stay Inside
A trio of China Horse Club’s high profile spring arsenal made their much-awaited reappearances at barrier trials this morning in a precursor to planned assaults on major races across Sydney and Melbourne. Golden Slipper hero Stay Inside headlined a group that included millionaire Prime Star and boom juvenile In The Congo with all three winning their first trials for the new preparation in impressive fashion.
“It was a beautiful first trial from Stay Inside. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, this was only a trial, but he was moving great and it was the first step we wanted to see,” said Michael Smith, China Horse Club’s Australian representative.
“There is naturally a lot of attention on Stay Inside. He was the dominant two-year-old of this season and is in high demand for the AUD15 million The Everest. I expect that trial win will not have dampened the interest in him, that it may have only heightened the anticipation around his race return.”
Stay Inside, racing in his new China Horse Club silks for the first time, was ultra-impressive in the 900m trial at Royal Randwick. Regular jockey Tommy Berry slid him forward after the start to settle second in a field that included a succession of G1 winners and placegetters. Inside the final 200m Berry released the break ever so slightly and Stay Inside’s response was instant. The China Horse Club/Newgate Farm part-owned colt quickly accelerated to move clear for an incisive 1.34 length win.
Next month’s G3 San Domenico Stakes has been earmarked as the likely resumption point for Stay Inside in a campaign that is clearly targeted at The Everest – the richest turf race in the world. Press reports have suggested the son of former China Horse Club racehorse and now sire, Extreme Choice, is being courted by as many as five different slot holders to represent them. No decision has been made as yet by Stay Inside’s ownership group.
No less than 10 minutes after the Michael and Richard Freedman trained Stay Inside had lit up the track, another of their China Horse Club stable stars was in action. Prime Star, the winner of almost AUD1.8 million, was equally impressive when sliding home from last on the corner to win his 900m hitout against group winners and placegetters. Jockey Regan Bayliss was unmoved and his charge worked home for a comfortable length win.
“It is rewarding to see Prime Star and In The Congo trail impressively as well,” Smith added.
“When you plan for a spring carnival you do need depth in your racing team and the positive displays by these two runners is very important. Prime Star usually trials well and he did so again. Hopefully that can set him up for the spring.
“In The Congo was unlucky to lose his undefeated tag at his last start and he extended well when asked to move away from Mazu who is group placed. These are the first of our big guns to step out in trials in advance of the spring. It is very early days still but there is every reason to be encouraged by what we saw this morning.”
In The Congo was the third trial winner in China Horse Club silks, posting the fastest time by a two-year-old over the 1045m. The son of Snitzel was very progressive over the winter months and is expected to be given his chance against better company this preparation.
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