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Scholtz's Say

Trial Watch Reviews: 12th February - 16th February 2026

Chris Scholtz reviews Sydney and provincial trials at Rosehill and Newcastle on February 12 and Warwick Farm on February 16.

MAZU
MAZU Picture: Martin King / Sportpix
WARWICK FARM February 16

Inside Grass; Soft 5

14 Heats – 2 x 1200m (1 open; 1 Maiden); 4 x 795m (3 Open; 1 2YO); 4 x 792m (3 2YO; 1 3YO); 4 x 789m (4 Maiden)

Good to see veteran sprinter MAZU retaining his zest for racing on his favoured soft ground.

The popular G1 winner showed he will be capable of holding his own in the autumn sprints with a strong win in his 795m heat (47.59; 34.10) in his first trial since November. The 7YO led at a strong gallop and was under no pressure to hold the good mare IN FLIGHT in the run to the line.

A fresh HEADLEY GRANGE sprinted up nicely to win his 795m heat (48.50; 34.28), railing through from midfield to get the better of the race fit WILLAIDOW who probably wins the trial if he had not speared wide on the turn after leading comfortably. COOL JAKEY also showed his usual speed to lead and win the other open heat over 795m (47.85; 34.43) in a strong trial where ROSELYN"S STAR, STRUFF and KERGUELEN all performed with merit.

Plenty of nice trials in the 2YO heats but there was one standout in the soft ground.

HANDLOOM (Gary Portelli): Last in the Gimcrack Stakes in her debut in the spring, this Exceed And Excel filly showed it may be an anomaly with a free running win by almost five lengths in her 795m trial (46.66; 33.73) where she went faster the three classy open company heat winners. It was a very sharp performance and I like the form behind her as the previously noted BARRACKS again performed strongly to finish second.

Good respect for the winning form of RAISE THE BAR and BETTER OFF ALONE in their 2YO heats while other juveniles to impress with promising efforts included the previously noted ZENSEN, LEONESSA, THE NEXT EPISODE, HELLENIC BELLE and SALTASH.

POISONOUS is one to follow from the maiden heats after a soft win in his 789m heat while AXIUS is the one I want to be with going forward after his closing second in his 1200m heat. Top stayer VAUBAN was plain finishing sixth in his 1200m heat. Prefer to see what he can do when he resumes before making a final judgement on his autumn prospects.

NOTED TRIALS

XX Handloom

X Axius; Better Off Alone; Headley Grange; Hellenic Belle; Kerguelen; Leonessa; Lupa Capitolina; Mazu; Nashville Jack; Poisonous; Raise The Bar; Saltash; Taxation; The Next Episode; Willaidow; Zensen

HEADLEY GRANGE
HEADLEY GRANGE Picture: Martin King / Sportpix
ROSEHILL February 12

16 Heats – Good 4

Course Proper: 2 x 1000m (2 Group/Listed); 1 x 900m (Group/Listed)

Inside Grass: 4 x 1030m (1 Open; 2 C1/Maiden; 1 2YO); 9 x 900m (2 Open; 5 2YO; 2 Maiden)

A strong session featuring some classy autumn prospects in three black type trials on the course proper. The 2YO trials should also be the source of some good prospects.

HEAT 1 (1000m): The exciting 3YO NINJA is set to bounce back from his controversial Magic Millions defeat after a classy win in the fastest of the two 1000m heats on the course proper (58.02; 33.01). The speedster WAY TO THE STARS led them up but NINJA was in cruise control settling third before working well within himself to gain the upper hand over the closing stages. PERICLES tracked wide to finish an easy fourth.

HEAT 2 (1000m): Run in much slower time than the first heat (60.12; 33.99), the class acts YORKSHIRE and KING OF ROSEAU went to the line together without being extended. YORKSHIRE led with KING OF ROSEAU taking the trail before working underneath the leader from the 300m. Both were well held by their riders in the drive to the line with YORKSHIRE getting his head in front on the post. Craig Williams made another trip from Melbourne to ride SIR DELIUS and like his earlier trials he was under pressure over the last 400m and did not show much response under the whip to finish fourth. Reserve judgement on his form until we see him under race conditions.

HEAT 3 (900m): Excellent work by the classy RAGING FORCE to run away with this trial by almost four lengths (54.89; 33.91). Took control from the start and extended like a good horse over the last 200m, showing he had come on in great style since his first-up trial. Nicer work by BAUHINIA to finish second while PINITO will be improved after covering ground three wide for fourth.

There were five 2YO heats over 900m and one over 1000m with several winners looking set to make their mark when produced. MOONLIT WINGS worked strongly to win the 1000m heat (63.85; 36.04) while the 900m heat winners to make the best impression were DR HOOK (55.01; 34.60), EURIPEDES (54.64; 34.66) and RACHINI (54.21; 34.91).

There was also a standout winner in the maiden heats from the Bjorn Baker stable.

COMPENSATION (Bjorn Baker): A noted star of an earlier trial win last year, this unraced 3YO by Written Tycoon again showed natural talent to sprint away with his 900m heat in fast time (53.22; 33.89). Led under a hold and dropped the chasers easily when called on at the 200m.

NOTED TRIALS

XX Compensation; Ninja; Raging Force

X Cap Saint Martin; Dr Hook; Euripedes; Horseshoe Hill; King Of Roseau; Mister Martini; Moonlit Wings; Our Queen; Rachini; Storming Home; Southern Heiress; Tonkin; Trapdoor; Yorkshire; Young Mister Grace

NEWCASTLE February 12

Beaumont Grass; Good 4

20 Heats – 2 x 1200m (2 Open); 9 x 1000m (4 Open; 5 Maiden); 9 x 850m (

Classy G1 winner GRINGOTTS started off his autumn campaign with a soft trial win in his 1000m heat.

He travelled easily in third behind the leaders and was quietly ridden to record a narrow win in the fastest of the nine heats over the distance (61.27; 33.84). MISS BUSSLINGER surged to the line under a hold for a close second, showing she is in good form to go on from her last start win in a BM64.

The fast sprinter HAWKER HALL showed he has not gone backwards since his Magic Millions win at the Gold Coast, breezing through his fast 850m heat (48.19; 33.68) for a dominant 3.5 lengths win that sets him up for his next sprint assignment.

SERAPHOX, a 2YO colt by Harry Angel making his first trial appearance, impressed with a strong win in his 850m heat (49.72; 34.48). POMELO CHAMOMILE, a Maurice filly with race experience, worked home over the top of her rivals for a strong win in the fastest of the three 2YO heats (48.63; 33.84.

CHURCHILL'S CHOICE and LORD OF BISCAY made good impressions winning their open heats while numerous maidens took the eye including the heat winners LE BLUE CIEL; OAKFIELD VIRGINIA, FROSTISEN, FARNCIFUL and WAVETON.

NOTED TRIALS

XX Hawker Hall

X Artfull; Be More Pacific; Churchill's Choice; Farnciful; Frostisen; Gringotts; Le Bleu Ciel; Lord Of Biscay; Miss Busslinger; Oakfield Virginia; Pomelo Chamomile; Seraphox; Waveton 


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