‘It was a very easy watch’: Agarwood dominates juvenile opener at Royal Randwick
Agarwood maintained her unbeaten record with a facile win as her sire sensation, Wootton Bassett, claimed three of the top four placings in the two-year-old contest at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
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Agarwood maintained her unbeaten record with a facile win as her sire sensation, Wootton Bassett, dominated the juvenile opener at Royal Randwick on Saturday
Coolmore Stud’s Wootton Bassett not only sired Agarwood, winner of the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation Handicap (1200m), he also had the third and fourth placegetters, Providence and Regulated Affair.
But this was all about the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Agarwood, a naturally fast filly who jumped quickly and found the front, controlled the tempo, then sprinted clear in the straight for a consummate win.
“It was a very easy watch,’’ Tulloch Lodge stable representative Neil Paine said.
“Adam (Hyeronimus, jockey) controlled it in front, the track raced beautifully and she’s a terrific filly.
“This was only her second run, we know she handles wet tracks so she ticked that box, and was drawing away on the line.’’
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Agarwood, confidently backed into $1.95 favouritism gave nothing else a chance as she cruised home two-and-a-quarter lengths clear of Godolphin’s game filly Matima ($10) with a long head to the Chris Waller-trained Providence ($31) who claimed third just in front of stablemate Regulate Affair.
Hyeronimus said Agarwood did everything right during the race and handled the heavy 9 track conditions expertly.
“Agarwood was very professional,’’ Hyeronimus said. “She flew the gates, controlled the race and was too good.’’
A $420,000 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale graduate, Agarwood is the third foal of Paulownia, a Group 2 placegetter and a full-sister to liGroup 1-winning sprinter Foxwedge.
Agarwood’s rising prominence delivers an added boost to the significant worth to talented three-year-old filly Lilac who is already a dual stakeswinner.
The brilliant Agarwood made a late start to her juvenile career but has quickly made up for lost time with successive city wins this month.
Agarwood leads all the way and dominates in the first at Randwick! 💥@GaiWaterhouse1pic.twitter.com/vkNlKS8Fts
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025
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Paine explained that Agarwood was “only a tiny filly” and had needed time to grow and develop.
“If you have a look at her she is still not a big filly,’’ Paine said.
“Agarwood was in and out (of the stable) because we were hoping to get some ‘growth’ on her.
“We have had her in a number of times just trying to strengthen her up so that is why she was late starting (her career).’’
Paine said Agarwood was only about 15.2 hands and would not weigh 500kg so the filly has plenty of growing to do.
“She needs to strengthen out as she is a very light filly,’’ he said.
“But once our horses have a couple of runs and go out for a spell they come back bigger and better.’’
Paine was unclear whether Waterhouse and Bott planned to continue Agarwood’s preparation and consider a stakes race in Brisbane for her in coming weeks.
“We will see how she pulls up,’’ he said. “When they have a run on a heavy track it is always a bit of a worry how they come through the race.
“But she seemed to handle everything so easily today so Gai and Adrian might look for a suitable stakes race over 1200m for her.’’
Agarwood is another promising two-year-old by Coolmore’s young stallion Wootton Bassett, who is second to Ole Kirk in the First Season Sires premiership.
Wootton Bassett is also doing great things in Europe and such is the demand for the stallion, Coolmore has set his service fee this spring breeding season at an Australian record $385,000.
Providence and Regulated Affair, two sons of Wootton Bassett, both ran well in defeat and are likely to be given their chance to earn starts in the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm next month.
First starter Providence made up considerable ground late in the race to claim the minor placing with Waller’s stable representative, Charlie Duckworth, confirming the youngster was Brisbane-bound.
“The plan was always to take Providence to Queensland in a fortnight’s time for a race over 1500m,” Duckworth said.
“He is a beautiful, scopey colt, and potentially he could go to the JJ Atkins.
“Adam rode Agarwood an absolute treat but it hindered everyone else in terms of turning the race into a bit of a sit and sprint for them but Regulated Affair still acquitted himself well.
“Regulated Affair could also go north, too. He will either have one more run down here and go up or head straight up.”
Originally published as ‘It was a very easy watch’: Agarwood dominates juvenile opener at Royal Randwick
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