And there were some nice two-year-olds to feast your eyes on in future. Good to see Tommy Berry and Glyn Schofield back as well.

Now it's time to chase some more racing news. Click back on the SMH website later this evening and on Saturday for all your racing news over the weekend!

Heat 13: Love affair still strong, you would have to assume. Sarajevo quickens down the outside to make up ground in fourth after settling last. His best work was done late which will please O'Shea.

Wandjina wins the trial for Gai Waterhouse and Tommy Berry, clicked up a gear late to make sure he did enough to ward off Burning Passion. Robert Pearse's War Affair is third. How many two-year-olds do you see Robert Pearse with?

Berry said on Wandjina: "A lot bigger and stronger horse this time and he was more relaxed which was a good sign. The way he feels he might even get over a bit longer, but he knew what he had to do and when he had to win the trial he did it."

Darley's Tom Ward reported on Sarajevo: "That was his first trial and he did what he wanted him to. He will back here in a couple of weeks and ready to do a bit more. We'll probably have one run into the Golden Rose. That seems like the right pattern for these horses."

The time recorded was 43.41, which was fairly sharp for the day.

Heat 12: The boys go around in a two-year-old heat over the 740m with David Vandyke's Nusrah just doing enough to edge out Deadset, who angled for a rails run in the straight. The margin was just a head with with Road To Shangri La back in third.

Righto, Sarajevo up in the next. He's up near the top of Golden Rose betting at the moment for Darley, um, Godolphin. John O'Shea described him during the week as "a spunky little colt who tries his hardest for you every time". Let's see if the love affair is still going strong after this spring pipeopener.

Heat 11: The blinkers are taken off Weary moments before the start of the trial. And Tremec is a late scratching after being badly cast in the gates. Who said cold, mid-July wintry mornings at Randwick were dull?

Well, Reflectance ghosts along the inside to win nicely for John Thompson. That was some trial. New Divide goes home under a grip for second while Tiger Tees is never given his head by Jason Collett in third after he jumped smartly to lead

"He's had a good long break and he's obviously come back well going on that," Reflectance's trainer John Thompson said. "It's always good when the jockey comes back and asks, 'when is he racing? I'm on him'. That's what Glyn did."

Collett on Tiger Tees: "The track's a bit firm, but he trialled OK."

Weary? He had a very Waller-like trial and just did his thing at the tail of the field. The Doncaster placegetter looked to travel through the line nicely though.

"That was really good," Weary's rider Tommy Berry said. "The best part of it was after the line, he just whipped around them and kept going. He's come back really strong."

Reflectance covered the 740m trip in 43.99.

Heat 10: Gai's virtually had a holiday in this heat. Only one runner emanating from Tulloch Lodge in this three-year-old maiden fillies heat, Tiffany's Diamond. Bart and James Cummings' Novena is still learning what it's all about, bursting through the barriers before they jump. And she refuses to load the second time...

She only needed one, didn't she? Tiffany's Diamond ridden out by James McDonald to get the better of Les Bridge's Rubycue with the Melbourne Cup-winning trainer's other charge, Myladyluck, pushed out late for third.

Righto, Tiger Tees and Weary up next. Two-time Doncaster champ Sacred Falls won't start. Still maybe enough star power to warm these hearty souls at Randwick?

Heat 9: They looked to go up a notch in that heat, Sweet Idea just shading stablemate Forever Loved in the open trial. Forever Loved was niggled along as they turned for home to eyeball the Magic Millions Guineas and Light Fingers winner, but she hangs on to win by a nose for Tommy Berry. Paul Messara's Chosen Idol is third.

The time? Maybe they weren't going as fast as first thought. Only 1.03.55.

"She always trials like that," Berry said. "She always trials well without blowing us away. You've just got to wait until raceday to see the best of her."

Maybe Forever Loved will be the one to spend your last lobster on if Josh Parr's assessment is anything to go by.

"She's on track for a very, very good preparation," he said.

Heat 8: In other news, it's still freezing at Randwick! Forget Maybe strolls in to win heat 8 for Anthony Cummings and Tye Angland, boasting a three-length margin from Ron Quinton's Martilago with White Dove in third.

Cummings thought best to chuck the blinkers on Forget Maybe this prep, no doubt an astute gear change he thought up while holidaying in Italy for son James' recent wedding.

"That was good," Cummings said about Forget Maybe. "We've put the blinkers on him and they've done the trick. He's definitely a Saturday grade horse and maybe better."

Heat 7: They go without Captain Hook in this heat as the two-year-old refuses to load. Not sure Grahame Begg will be thrilled about that.

Anyway, Najoom wins the heat narrowly from Harir. Most interest was on Waterhouse's Twirl there, who was stoked up a little late to finish third and a fair way back from the leading pair as racing's first lady has the first three home. The filly was the only one with race experience in that trial and chased home Believe Yourself in the Sweet Embrace during the autumn carnival.

Winning time was 1.03.31 over the 1050m.

"Geez he gave me a good feel," Najoom's rider James McDonald said. "I didn't know much about him, but the way he accelerated showed he's a really nice horse."

Added Tommy Berry on Twirl: "It was her first trial and I was scrubbing at her and she couldn't keep up, but ran right through the line and will be improved."

Heat 6: No surprises there. Waterhouse's top two-year-olds Nayeli and Valentia run one-two against the other babies. Nayeli featured in the Blue Diamond last prep while the Coolmore-owned Valentia won the Skyline Stakes before taking on the Golden Slipper.

Nayeli isn't pressured late to beat Valentia by a length with Bjorn Baker's Herne's Oak making ground late to finish one-and-a-half lengths back in third. The time was 1.03.08.

"She was very good," Nayeli's rider Tommy Berry said. "She wanted to get a bit keen when the wind hit her down the side, but when Valentia, who is a very good colt came at her, I gave her a slap and she put another neck on him."

The Rosebud looms as Nayeli's starting point this campaign.

Valentia's rider Tye Angland said: "He was super. He did it within himself and strolled up to the filly, but she's had that extra trial and that was the difference. He had a nice blow, but I'm very happy with him."

Coolmore's Michael Kirwan added: "With a colt like him we're looking at those group 1 races and we'll let Gai tell us where we're going, but of course the Golden Rose and the Caulfield Guineas look like the right races."

Heat 5: One-time Magic Millions contender Echo Gal takes out the fifth heat for that combo again - Waterhouse and Clark. She created a huge impression leading up to the Gold Coast, but trained off badly in the lead-up to Queensland's richest race.

She gets the decision from stablemate Himpapawid (Tommy Berry) with Sir Barb flashing home from the tail for third. Might be another to watch in coming starts. The time is 1.03 flat suggesting the first two weren't out there for a picnic.

Still a few heats away from Sweet Idea, Tiger Tees, Weary and Sarajevo who are all scheduled to go later in the session.

Heat 4: First two-year-old trial of the morning and it might pay to watch one who didn't finish in the placings there. Black book By Virtue, who burst from the pack late under only minor encouragement from Tye Angland for Anthony Cummings. Did little on debut a couple of weeks ago, but that was a nice trial albeit a long way from the winner.

Waterhouse takes the honours again with Spirit Of Joy who isn't asked for a lot from Tim Clark to win in 1.03.29 - faster than the open age trial prior. John Sargent's It's Gonna Happen was a length away in second.

Have a look at the breeding of Spirit Of Joy! She's out of Ouija Board, a half-sister to Australia, the English and Irish Derby winner. Why did she get towelled up on debut at Kembla?

"She doesn't know who her family is, but she can run," Clark jokes after the trial.

Heat 3: Diamond Drille is up here. Remember her? Carries the Kolivos colours made famous by Pierro and won the Queen of the Turf when it was supposed to be on Chris Waller's mantelpiece courtesy of Catkins or Red Tracer. She's likely to be headed on a Myer Classic path in the spring.

Tommy Berry didn't ask much of Diamond Drille there as she lopes along the inside to finish third. Sydney's top apprentice Sam Clipperton takes the honours on David Vandyke's Splash Out, who was never really asked for an effort in truth. He gets the nod over Greatwood who was also strong through the line with Diamond Drille filling the placings and no doubt pleasing her trainer. The gallop was 1.03.7.

Most focus on Diamond Drille with Tommy Berry reporting: "She was good. Before her last preparation she had a long time off and then a long prep so that hitout has done her the world of good. She sprinted really well when I asked to go and she's only going to improve from that."

As for the winner?

"He's heading in the right direction," Clipperton said of Splash Out. "He jumped brilliantly and got there under his own steam and did what he had to to win the trial. He had a little bit of a blow, but that's to be expected.

"That wind's so cold it's burning my lungs."

And there was no more success for the flying Frenchman there unfortunately!

Heat 2: Gai Waterhouse and Thomas Huet again. This time it's in the three-year-olds and up trial as Countryman is given a searching workout to hold off the impressive Hydro (James McDonald) who is eased over the final stages to finish one-and-three-quarters of a length adrift of the winner. Projectile (Tommy Berry) is third.

The time was 1.11.72, indicating the winner was asked for a lot more effort than the first trial in which they ran well more than a second slower.

Anyone think the Flying Frenchman can make it three in a row on Porcellanus in the next? Rumour is he's a favourite of the Australian ladies too!

Heat 1: What would have Gai thought about that? Tommy Berry barely cranks The Offer out of second gear as the Sydney Cup winner ambles into third behind stablemate Danas Best in the first heat. He settled last in the early stages and then just cruised between horses to go to the line under a fairly strong hold. Anyone willing to take the $15 on offer with Ladbrokes for the first Tuesday in November? No, neither are we!

Dana Best eventually scores with Thomas Huet up by three-quarters-of-a-length from Bonfire who caught the eye with The Offer a short-half-head away in third. Time was 1.13.20 for the 1200m hitout.

"He was really good," The Offer's jockey Tommy Berry said. "He came through them really strongly when I asked him to. At the moment he's got a bit of a spring in his step which is very encouraging and the most impressive thing is he's come back bigger and stronger."

Thomas Huet was full of praise for Danas Best too. "He jumped really well and sat second or third and went to the line really strongly," the flying Frenchman said. "He was good."

It's the middle of winter, it's freezing and there are still people rolling through the gates at Randwick early on a Friday morning. Welcome to the main racing fare at this time of year - barrier trials!

As the temperature plunges in old Sydney town, the action is gradually starting to heat up on the track with a host of spring carnival stars stepping out for the first time today.

Early Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer headlines the 20-strong heats and will be the star attraction in the first trial as Gai Waterhouse rolls out 30 plus of her Tulloch Lodge team on a collision course with most of the spring majors.

Other notable runners include Queen of the Turf winner Diamond Drille (heat 3), Galaxy winner Tiger Tees and Doncaster placegetter Weary clashing in heat 11 and Darley's Golden Rose contender Sarajevo going around in heat 13.

This morning will also see the return of Tommy Berry to Australian racing from a short Hong Kong stint, while Glyn Schofield will get his eye in for tomorrow's card at Rosehill with his first rides since two months off with facial fractures.

The first trial jumps at 8.15pm.