2014 Cox Plate winner Adelaide failed to impress in a barrier trial over 900 metres at Rosehill Gardens this morning.
Adelaide was not overly impressive in a barrier trial this morning, but he remains on track to return to racing in the George Ryder Stakes. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Adelaide contested the third barrier trial and he was slightly slow out of the gates; with jockey Hugh Bowman forced to ride the imported galloper aggressively in the early stages of the trial to settle him in a midfield position.
The Galileo entire was asked for an extra effort by Bowman at the 250 metre mark, but he was unable to pick up a great deal of ground and he eventually finished the trial in seventh position, while Arinosa finished over the top of All Cerise to take out the trial.
Adelaide was making his first public appearance since his memorable victory in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) and he will likely have at least one more public barrier trial before he potentially returns to racing in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21 ahead of the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 11.
Leading English-based jockey Ryan Moore was aboard Adelaide when he came from the tail of the field to win the Cox Plate and the talented hoop is set to return to Australia to ride the two-time Group 1 winner in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Group 1 winning mare Royal Descent was also making the first public appearance of her autumn preparation and she jumped from the gates quickly before she worked home fairly to finish fourth.
Royal Descent has not recorded a race win since she scored a dominant ten lengths victory in the 2013 edition of the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m), but she was a consistent performer at the highest level of racing during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival and she finished second in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m), Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m), Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) and Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m).
The daughter of Redoute’s Choice returned to Melbourne for the Cox Plate, but she was never able to get into the race and she finished a disappointing 12th.
Trainer Chris Waller is yet to decide what path Adelaide will follow during the autumn, but she has been included in the nominations for the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m), Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m).
