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 Thursday, we are keeping an eye on a trio of debutants. Henry Dwyer has a Shooting To Win filly stepping out at Bendigo, where James Cummings also puts forward a colt from a Group 1 winning mare, while a former high-priced Toronado (Ire) yearling features for Team Hawkes at Wyong.
Bendigo Race 1, 1:30pm AEDT, Race Services 3YO Fillies Mdn, $23,000, 1000m
Ms Catherine (Shooting To Win) makes her debut for Henry Dwyer. She is a homebred for the Bongiorno family out of the grand old mare Lucky Diva (Perugino {USA}), who won 11 races including two stakes races. One of four stakes winners from Lucky Witch (Voodoo Rhythm {USA}), she has produced four winners of her own from her five to the track.
Shooting To Win, sire of Ms Catherine
This filly has had a couple of jumpouts, the most recent when second at Caulfield earlier this month. She has shown plenty of pace out of the gates in and you’d expect her to be on pace just like her dam was through most of her career.
Wyong Race 2, 1:55pm AEDT, Winning Appliances Mdn, $35,000, 1000m
Masked Crusader was the most expensive yearling from Toronado's (Ire) first Australian crop, costing Hawkes Racing and Cameron Cooke Bloodstock $340,000 at the 2018 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale. He is out of the Listed winning mare She's Got Gears (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who has already produced the stakes-placed Outlaw Kate (Exceed And Excel) and metro winner High Ratio (Fastnet Rock).
Masked Crusader as a yearling
Masked Crusader had a trial back in June, winning it well, before returning to win another trial at Hawkesbury earlier this month, where he showed plenty of pace to win.
Bendigo Race 2, 2:00pm AEDT, Bendigo Mazda Mdn, $23,000, 1100m
The Driller (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is the first foal to race from the G1 Oakleigh Plate winning mare Shamal Wind (Dubawi {Ire}) and was one of eight yearlings purchased by Godolphin when it returned to the sales ring at the 2018 Magic Millions Yearling Sale. He cost them $325,000, having been bred from an overseas covering with his dam retired after running at Royal Ascot in 2015.
The Driller as a yearling
Shamal Wind herself is a three-quarter sister to the European Group 2 winner Al Thakhira (GB) and half-sister to the stakes-placed Sebfire (Sebring).
The Driller has had a couple of jumpouts and was close-up second at his most recent at Flemington earlier this month when ridden just in behind the pace.
