Looking Ahead puts the spotlight on runners of interest across Australia and New Zealand. Whether they are a particularly well-bred or high-priced runner having their first or second start, a promising galloper returning to the track or a horse which has trialled particularly well, we’ll aim to give you something to follow.
On Friday, we’ve been taken by a trial winner on debut at Scone where we also like a colt with a Group 1 winner close up in his pedigree while at Geelong we’re drawn to the chances of a first-up winner from Greg Eurell’s yard.
Scone Race 1, 12.15pm, Cressfield Maiden, $22,000, 900m
The Kris Lees-trained Illecebrous (More Than Ready {USA}) has had a couple of recent trials and won the latest of them over 900 metres at Muswellbrook. She was ridden by Andrew Gibbons, who takes the mount again and from a handy enough drawn can make an impact at the first time of asking.
Illecebrous is a daughter of Riva Del Mar (Shamardal {USA}), who is out of a half-sister to the Listed Doomben Slipper winner Chickens (Danehill {USA}), the dam of the G3 Baillieu H. winner Do You Think (Starcraft {NZ}). It is also the family of the dual Group 1 winners Danendri (Danehill {USA}) and Faint Perfume (Shamardal {USA}) and the G1 Hong Kong Derby winner Furore (Pierro).
Scone Race 2, 1.25pm, Champion 3YO Sprinter Flying Artie H., $22,000, 1100m
Rifles (Smart Missile) looks poised to go one better here following his bold first-up showing for second on the track. He was well-supported off the back of a pair of trial wins and from the ace draw he has a gilt-edged opportunity to open his account. He will again be ridden by Aaron Bullock.
The colt is a half-brother to two winners with their dam Senora (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}) out of the multiple stakes winner Lady Belvedere (Royal Academy {USA}). She is a half-sister to the G1 Fruit ‘n’ Veg S. winner Old Nick (Old Spice) and the Listed Gimcrack S. winner Lady Belgrave (Prego {Ire}). Also featuring in this pedigree is the G1 Railway S. winner Elite Belle (Canny Lad).
Smart Missile, sire of Rifles
Geelong Race 5, 3.00pm, GT Insurance H., $35,000, 1312m
Trainer Greg Eurell has been patient with Muzzleflash (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and the wait proved worthwhile with the 4-year-old a comfortable winner on this track on debut. The gelding won well enough to suggest he can successfully handle a rise in class.
Tavistock, sire of Muzzleflash
Muzzleflash is half-brother to six winners, including the Listed Oaklands Plate winner Hard (Catbird) and the black type performer Cortado (Sepoy). Their dam Macchiato (Night Shift {USA}) won four times up to 1200 metres and is a half-sister to the Listed Metropolitan H. winner and G1 New Zealand Oaks runner-up Etoile Filante (NZ) (Soviet Star {USA}). It’s notably the family of the multiple Group 1 winner Naturalism (NZ) (Palace Music {USA}) and Star Dancer (Star Watch), successful three times at the highest level.
