It may be the middle of January but already some of Australia's potential autumn stars have returned to the public spotlight with seven Group 1 winners stepping out in barrier trials at Warwick Farm.
Two heats over 900m on the course proper were for Group-class horses with the first won by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace's dual Group 2-winning filly Tiz Invincible.
Tiz Invincible, who took out the Furious and Tea Rose in the spring before running sixth to Tropical Squall in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m), booted through to lead and won under a hold from Buckeroo and Lazzago.
Popular gelding Think It Over just edged out star mare Fangirl for fourth with multiple Group 1-winning colt and Chris Waller stablemate Militarize not asked for an effort at the back of the field.
They weren't out to break any records but ran slightly quicker time than the second heat, clocking 55.50 seconds, compared to 55.53 seconds recorded by Learning To Fly.
Learning To Fly missed the spring after suffering severe interference and losing the rider in last year's Golden Slipper and this was her second outing having also trialled behind Time To Boogie over 740m on December 11.
Annabel Neasham confirmed during the week that Learning To Fly, winner of the Inglis Millennium (1100m) and Group 2 Reisling Stakes (1200m), will aim at resuming in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) on February 17 at Randwick.
Under Chad Schofield, who was dislodged from the filly in the Golden Slipper, Learning To Fly tracked Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) winner Griff and got the upper hand late, with some four lengths back to Encap in third.
The other three horses in the trial were all Group One winners from the Waller yard with Victoria Derby (2500m) winner Riff Rocket edging into fourth under James McDonald, ahead top mares Atishu and Espiona.
