Champion filly Guelph made her first public appearance since her successful 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with an impressive win in a barrier trial at Rosehill Gardens this morning.
Champion filly Guelph and half-brother Ghibellines both impressed with strong barrier trial performances at Rosehill Gardens this morning. Photo by: Steve Hart
Guelph competed in the fourth trial of the day over 900 metres and was quick to exert her dominance; quickly pulling herself to the front of the field before racing away to score a two and three quarter lengths victory in a time of 53.8 seconds.
The daughter of Exceed And Excel has recorded seven wins from just eleven starts, including four wins at Group 1 level, and will have the opportunity to add to her racing resume when she begins her 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 22.
Guelph will have her next race start in the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm on March 8 and is a chance to finish her preparation with three straight tilts at Group 1 level; with the Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22, the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5 and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 19 all on the agenda for the champion filly.
The Darley operation had a number of runners at the barrier trials at Rosehill Gardens this morning and another standout was Ghibellines – a half-brother to Guelph.
Ghibellines made his first public appearance with a comfortable win in a barrier trial over 847 metres at Royal Randwick on September 23 last year and was far from disgraced when he finished fourth behind Law, Mohave and Bold Circle on debut in the Listed New South Wales Thoroughbreds’ Breeders Plate (1000m) at Royal Randwick on October 5.
The Shamardal colt won a barrier trial over 900 metres at Rosehill Gardens on January 21 and showed a strong turn-of-foot to run away from the rest of the field in the final stages of the trial to record a comfortable three lengths victory.
Ghibellines has been included in the nominations for both the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 22 and the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on April 5, but trainer Peter Snowden revealed last week that the Golden Slipper was the main target for the two-year-old.
