A pair of juveniles from two of Sydney's leading stables have staked their claims to be given black-type opportunities over the carnival with impressive wins at the midweek Randwick-Kensington meeting.
Roselyn's Star was run down by the smart Gatsby's on debut at Canterbury, that colt a clear-cut favourite for Saturday's Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes.
But there were no rivals of that ilk on Wednesday, Roselyn's Star, the $1.35 favourite, bounding out of the gates to set up an extensive mid-race lead and maintaining his momentum right to the line to take out the Bivouac First Yearlings Handicap (1000m) by three lengths.
Trainer John O'Shea wasn't surprised by his brilliance and will now aim the colt at the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) on the opening day of The Championships at Randwick.
"He's an exciting colt and we've always felt he had the capacity to do something like that," O'Shea said.
"He only had one trial going into his first-up run and then he had a hard run first-up, so he has really come on from that nicely.
"There is plenty of improvement to come from that and I'm looking forward to bringing him back here in three weeks' time and giving him an opportunity to show how good he is."
2YO colt Roselyn’s Star (Shalaa x Dual Star) blows his rivals away with an impressive maiden win under @nashhot at start two on the Kensington track 🔥 Congrats to his all-ladies ownership group; we’re looking forward to some good days out with him 🥳 pic.twitter.com/Zmi4Nigdeg
— John O'Shea Racing (@JohnOSheaRacing) March 13, 2024
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott produced another nice two-year-old a race later when first starter Hallett showed her professionalism to take out the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1000m).
She is also being slated for bigger goals with Bott nominating the Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 13 as a likely target.
"She has certainly got a bit of class about her," Bott said of the daughter of Deep Field.
"For a filly like her, a race like the Percy Sykes which comes up over the carnival looks to be an ideal target, restricted to the fillies' grade.
"It's a chance to get some black-type and it's worth plenty of prizemoney so that might be a race we try to aim up at."
Hallett ($3.70 fav) scored by three-quarters of a length over Godolphin youngster Pinito ($12), who was doing his best work late, with the runner-up's stablemate Zeitung ($8) the same margin away third.
