Lonhro Plate to feature several high-priced yearling purchases
A number of expensive yearlings are expected to step out in Saturday’s Listed Lonhro Plate (1000m) at Royal Randwick.
Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou are set to unearth their $750,000 Snitzel colt in the opening race of the day as Boyfriend makes his debut.
Purchased at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by Aquis Farm, the horse has had two barrier trials in preparation for his first run, where he is a $14 chance with online bookmakers.
Boyfriend has finished third in both trials, running behind Pyrios on January 17 and then finishing a length behind Okataina on January 31.
Having ridden the expensive youngster in his first trial, Joshua Parr will reunite with the two-year-old on Saturday, with the pair drawn well in barrier three.
Also making her debut in the same race on Saturday is the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Cythera.
The filly by I Am Invincible was a $420,000 purchase at the same sale as Boyfriend and has already been well supported in the Lonhro, firming into $7.50 from $9.50.
Cythera was a stylish trial winner on January 4 at Rosehill over 900m, defeating the unraced Lady Ashley and also Troach, who was dominant when leading all of the way to win at Randwick-Kensington on Wednesday.
Tommy Berry partnered the filly in her only trial to date and has opted to stick with her on Saturday, jumping off the race favourite, Lady Laguna, who he won on at her most recent start.
Berry also has a good association with Tragara, a filly who makes her debut on the back of a trial win on January 17.
The Richard & Michael Freedman-trained daughter of Written Tycoon was purchased by James Harron Bloodstock 12 months ago at the Inglis Classic Sale for $380,000.
Both Cythera and Tragara hold nominations for the Blue Diamond Stakes, which will be run at Caulfield on February 26.
These three high-priced two-year-olds would have had their purchase price made to look small had Chris Waller have opted to run Zambezi River in this race, but the stable have scratched the $1.15 million colt in order to run in the Inglis Millennium later on in the day.
James Cummings will saddle up two starters in the Lonhro as he looks to replicate his feats in 2019, when Bivouac proved too good.
Spacewalk resumes off the back of a narrow trial win on January 24, after running fifth on debut in the Breeders’ Plate at Group 3 level, while his stablemate Plymstock is looking to go back-to-back after taking out a 2YO Handicap at this track and distance a fortnight ago.
The aforementioned Lady Laguna is looking to make it a hat-trick of wins to start of her career, having saluted on debut at Eagle Farm on November 6 before getting up by four lengths in Heavy conditions at Rosehill later in the month.
Lady Laguna makes it a perfect 2/2 start to her career for @ANeashamRacing! 🏇 pic.twitter.com/JUYzWJWU7k
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 27, 2021
Annabel Neasham’s runner is currently the $3 favourite ahead of the Godolphin pair of Plymstock ($5) and Spacewalk ($6), with the unraced Cythera ($7.50) the only other runner in single figures.