Group 1 winner Amanpour upstaged a host of talented stablemates to record an impressive barrier trial win at Royal Randwick this morning.
Amanpour led from start to finish in the opening barrier trial at Royal Randwick this morning. Photo by: Steve Hart
Amanpour was included in the entries for the first barrier trial over 1250 metres and she was taken straight to the lead by jockey Kerrin McEvoy in the early stages of the trial while Pornichet was settled at the tail of the field more than six lengths behind the leader.
McEvoy kept Amanpour under a heavy hold throughout the barrier trial and she maintained her lead despite Adrift being asked for an extra effort to claim victory from her Light Fingers Stakes winning stablemate and 2014 Sydney Cup winner The Offer.
Amanpour was making her first appearance at the races since she scored an upset win over Catkins and Noble Protector in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 11.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse is yet to reveal the exact path that Amanpour will follow during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival, but races like the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) could both be on the agenda for the daughter of Northern Meteor.
It was hard to know what to make of the barrier trial performance of Pornichet because he was settled well off the rest of the field before working home fairly under hard riding by jockey Blake Shinn.
The barrier trial was Pornichet’s second public appearance this preparation after he finished third behind stablemate Excess Knowledge in a barrier trial over 1200 metres at Royal Randwick on July 20 and he continues build towards the start of his Cox Plate campaign.
Former Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer was settled just behind the leading duo in the early stages of the trial and he was able to hit the line fairly without being asked for an extra effort.
The Offer missed the 2014 Melbourne Cup after he suffered an injury following his 11th place finish in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18 and he had only one race start during the winter when he finished eighth in the Listed Southbank Insurance Brokers Quality (1800) at the Gold Coast on June 20.
Veteran stayer Precedence rounded out the opening barrier trial at Royal Randwick and he finished at the tail of the field in his first public appearance since his fifth place finish in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast on April 25.
John Thompson-trained Auvray was also set to contest the barrier trial, but he refused to load into the gates and he will now be gelded and sent for a stint in the spelling paddock.
