Expensive Inglis Easter yearling Merovee (Aus) (Frankel {GB}), out of two-time Australian Group 2 heroine and G1 Golden Slipper third-place finisher More Strawberries (Aus) (More Than Ready), won his first barrier trail, a 900-metre affair and eighth on the day (video), at Rosehill Monday. Dead least through the early going, the A$1.6 million yearling was given an easy time of it by Kerrin McEvoy against the rails until the 400-metre mark. Swung off the fence turning into the home straight, the Chris Waller trainee split horses willingly and moved into fourth at the 200-metre point before setting his cap on the frontrunners and forging past to win easily by 3/4 of a length. Stablemate Kookabaa (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) just touched off Fortune Star (Aus) (Rothesay {Aus}) for place honours. Timed in :54.70 for the distance and his final 600 metres in :35 flat, it was Merovee's third barrier trial to date and first since Feb. 27. Knocked down to co-owner Waller as lot 423 from the consignment of breeder John SIngleton's Strawberry Hill Stud, the colt's dam was also runner-up in the G1 Flight S. His lone sibling is a weanling half-sister by Fastnet Rock (Aus), while More Strawberries was bred back to that Coolmore shuttler in September. More Strawberries is a half-sister to G1 Cantala S. hero All American (Aus) (Red Ransom), while her dam, a daughter of French champion juvenile filly Tersa (Mr. Prospector), is a winning half-sister to MGISW Rock Hard Ten (Kris S.). (Click here for more on Merovee by Kelsey Riley.)
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