Talented sprinter Our Boy Malachi led from start to finish to record an impressive win in a star-studded barrier trial at Rosehill Gardens this morning.
Our Boy Malachi beat a strong field to win a barrier trial at Rosehill Gardens this morning. Photo by: Steve Hart
Our Boy Malachi contested the opening barrier trial of the morning over 900 metres and he quickly found the lead in the early stages and took up the running from Solicit, Amicus and star mare Winx.
The Rockhampton Rocket was not asked for an extra effort at any point in the barrier trial, but he was still able to run away for a strong win from a game Solicit, while Winx found the line strongly under a heavy hold to finish third,
Our Boy Malachi joined the Team Hawkes stable at the end of 2014 and he started with four wins from as many starts for his new stable before he made his Group 1 debut with a tough third in the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on May 9.
He stepped up to 1350 metres for the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m), but he suffered a bleeding attack during the race and afterwards suffered from a nasty bout of colic that saw him miss the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival.
Our Boy Malachi could be given one more barrier trial at the start of next week and at this stage he is set to return to the races in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on January 30.
Solicit lost no admirers with her strong barrier trial performance and she looks as though she is ready to return to the races for the first time since she returned to her best form to take out the Group 3 Summoned Stakes (1500m) at Sandown on November 14 in dominant fashion.
Trainer Gerald Ryan is yet to reveal the path that Solicit will follow during the 2016 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, but she could return to the races in the Group 2 Breeders Classic (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 6.
Winx made her first public appearance since her remarkable victory in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 24 and she cruised to the line under a heavy hold to finish in third.
Godolphin sprinter Generalife made up ground late to finish fifth in an eye catching performance, while the likes of Group 1 winner Amicus, Godolphin-owned Complacent, Chris Waller-trained El Doute, The Metropolitan winner Magic Hurricane and veteran stayer Beyond Thankful were all given very easy trials.
