Amelia’s Jewel wins Hawkesbury trial in impressive fashion

Annabel Neasham’s recent stable acquisition Amelia’s Jewel demonstrated her obvious class with an impressive barrier trial win at Hawkesbury on Monday.

Amelia's Jewel continued her Spring Carnival preparations with an impressive barrier trial victory at Hawkesbury on Monday. Picture: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images

Amelia’s Jewel demonstrated her obvious class with an impressive barrier trial win at Hawkesbury on Monday.

With new jockey Tommy Berry in the saddle, Amelia’s Jewel settled midfield then moved closer to the leaders coming to the turn, took a gap between runners at the top of the straight and exploded clear to win her 1000m heat in 58.15s.

Berry did ask Amelia’s Jewel for an effort on the turn and she responded instantly with a good burst of acceleration before the mare was eased down near the line to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths from Too Darn Lizzie with a half-neck to Rock Hard Love.

• Mitch Cohen’s Blackbook: Horses to follow from Randwick; Waller’s 3YO dilemma

“Amelia’s Jewel trialled great,’’ Berry said.

“She sprinted through very quickly and when she got there, she switched off a bit.

“I was talking to (Perth jockey) Pat Carbery about her and he said when she gets to the front early she does idle down.

“So, I would have liked to have had more to chase in the trial. She’s not used to getting there too early as she is a good chaser.

“But I was really happy with her and she had a good blow after the trial.”

Amelia's Jewel had a solid hit-out at @hawkesburyrc this morning. What did we think, punters? pic.twitter.com/CEcdvXp9o3

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 26, 2024

• McDonald, Lloyd suspended at Randwick on Saturday

Now trained by Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald, Amelia’s Jewel is one of the nation’s elite mares having already won nine races, including the Group 1 Northerly Stakes, from 16 starts for more than $3.4 million prizemoney.

The five-year-old has now had two trials for her new stable and is ready to return to the races, most likely in the Group 2 $300,000 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on September 7.

Godolphin’s promising three-year-old Traffic Warden also showed he was set for a good spring carnival campaign, winning his 1000m heat in 59.02s.

Jockey Nash Rawiller rode the James Cummings-trained Traffic Warden to win his trial by a half-length from Prost with Winning Proposal a close third.

Traffic Warden, winner of the Group 2 VRC Sires, a close fourth in the Golden Slipper and runner-up in the ATC Sires last season, was also having his second barrier trial and is ready to go back to the races with the Group 1 $1 million Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 28 a likely target

Originally published as Amelia’s Jewel wins Hawkesbury trial in impressive fashion