Cosmic Endeavour Impresses Waterhouse With Trial Win

Group 1 winning mare Cosmic Endeavour impressed trainer Gai Waterhouse with her performance in a barrier trial at Royal Randwick this morning.

Cosmic Endeavour scored a second win at Group 1 level when she took out the 2015 Canterbury Stakes earlier this year. Photo by: Steve Hart

Cosmic Endeavour scored a second win at Group 1 level when she took out the 2015 Canterbury Stakes earlier this year. Photo by: Steve Hart

Cosmic Endeavour contested the opening barrier trial of the morning over 1250 metres at Royal Randwick and the daughter of Northern Meteor was settled just behind Amanpour and Bohemian Lily in the early stages of the trial.

She dropped back to fifth position in the middle stages as Café Society made a move around the outside of the trial field, but Cosmic Endeavour cut the corner heading into the straight and she picked up quickly to record a strong barrier trial victory by Bohemian Lily and Orbec in fairly comfortable fashion.

Cosmic Endeavour performed inconsistently during her 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign, which was highlighted by a win in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Royal Randwick on March 7, but Waterhouse is confident that the five-year-old is in the best form of her career heading into the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival.

“A very impressive trial win by Cosmic Endeavour,” Waterhouse posted on Twitter.

“The mare is going better than ever and is in for an exciting spring.”

Bohemian Lily also found the line well to finish the barrier trial in second position in her first public appearance since she was scratched from the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) that was held at Doomben on May 30.

The O’Reilly mare transitioned from a benchmark 67 race at Warwick Farm to win the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) on April 25 and she was second in the Listed Princess Stakes (2000m) at Doomben on May 9 before she returned to winning form with an emphatic win in the Group 2 The Roses (2020m) at Doomben on May 23.

Bohemian Lily was included in the nominations for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2040m) and Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) that were released last week, but the $3 million event at Caulfield on October 17 is the most likely option for the four-year-old.

Arabian Gold may have missed the placings in the opening barrier trial at Royal Randwick this morning, but she was arguably the most impressive performer.

Jockey Joshua Parr settled Arabian Gold towards the tail of the field in the early stages of the trial, but she made up plenty of ground late in the final stages of the barrier trial despite being kept under a heavy hold throughout.

Arabian Gold joined the Waterhouse stable after she failed to fire in the Listed Lord Mayors Cup (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on May 9 and Waterhouse is very happy with her new recruit.

“Josh Parr was very happy with multiple stakes winning mare Arabian Gold this morning,” Waterhouse said.

“She is coming to hand beautifully.”

Imported galloper Orbec finished third in the same barrier trial, while Queen Of The Turf Stakes winner Amanpour, French-bred Prince Cheri, Light Fingers Stakes winner Adrift, imported stayer Café Society, veteran galloper Precedence and Jim Litt-trained Brigantin missed the placings.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.