Leading Victorian trainer Anthony Azzopardi launched his Grafton winter carnival campaign with his regally-bred unraced puppies Aston Bintang and Aston Pilsner in performance trials on the Northern Rivers track on Monday.
Whelped in January last year, the duo are offspring of Barcia Bale and Jason Fletcher's Dapto record holder Fantastic Dotty.
Raced by Ray Borda, one of Australia's most successful owners, Aston Bintang won a 407m trial by a half-length from another impeccably-bred youngster, Cash Power.
Aston Pilsner was a distant second behind Cash Power's litter brother Woodview Ace.
Cash Power, Woodview Ace and Woodview Zoom, just a month older than Azzopardi's pair, are owned and trained by their local breeder Bob Cooke, who won the Group 1 National Futurity with their dam Cash In Motion.
"Woodview Ace and Woodview Zoom are being set for the 407m heats of the Taylor Family Clarence Valley Sheds Maiden Classic at Grafton on July 1,'' Cooke said.
"At this stage I probably won't enter Cash Power because I don't think she has enough early pace to be competitive in a race like that.
"But Woodview Zoom is the opposite, she goes fast early.''
Woodview Zoom trialled 23.29 over the Grafton 407m trip on June 10 before finishing second in another performance trial on Monday.
Woodview Ace won a performance trial on Monday by nine lengths in 23.16 on Monday after previously recording 23.51 in a similar Grafton assignment.
The $15,000 to the winner final of the Maiden Classic will be held on July 10.
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Royal Turbo, whose Wentworth Park wins included the Christmas Gift final, a heat of the Golden Easter Egg, and the listed The Collerson, has been retired.
Owner-trainer Glen McKinley has decided to "pull the pin'' on his gallant chaser's career.
Royal Turbo turned four in January but after missing a place in Richmond 330m races in March and May, he has been consigned to what McKinley describes as "a life on the couch.''
Royal Turbo earned over $288,000 from 28 wins and 44 placings, with his finest performances being victories over champion sprinter Ando's Mac in an Easter Egg heat and his defeat of the might Mister Twister in the 2016 Christmas Gift.
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Rockstar Kyle, who produced one of the biggest runs of 2019 to win Monday's annual Chris Mooney Tribute final at Bathurst, could soon be seen in action at Wentworth Park.
Trainer Matt Murphy will nominate Rockstar Style for heats of a 618m event at Richmond on Friday but after that series plans to head back to Wentworth Park with his powerful finisher.
On Monday Rockstar Kyle was fourth at the first turn but was almost knocked out of the race going through the catching pen.
After being a distant fifth on the back straight and still well astern of the two leaders on the home bend, he roared home to win easily in 30.24 for the 520m.
"I thought he was 'gone' when he was checked going through the pen on Monday,'' Murphy said.
"But he is a keen chaser which is a big asset these days.''
Rockstar Kyle had box six on Monday and is best suited when drawn even further out, in seven or eight.
