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 Sunday, we are concentrating our efforts on the Hawkesbury meeting where we fancy the chances of a pair of lightly-tried 3-year-olds with smart pedigrees and a son of the former top race mare Faint Perfume (Shamardal {USA}), who is resuming and won first-up last season.
Hawkesbury, Race 1, 1.15pm, South West Excavations Maiden, $35,000, 1500m
Zounate (Zoustar) will be at cramped odds, but he looks an anchor bet on the card following a debut fourth and a solid effort to finish runner-up last time out at Orange. The Gary Portelli-trained 3-year-old has the rails draw and with the added benefit of an apprentice allowance he has a gilt-edged opportunity to open his account.
Zoustar, sire of Zounate
He was plucked out of the Inglis Premier Sale for $80,000 and is the first foal of the winning Choisir mare Fascinating. She is a sister to the dual black type winner Choistar and their dam Sveldte (Star Watch) certainly knew where the post was as the winner of 12 races. There’s also an international touch to the pedigree with family member Free Fact (GB) (Known Fact {USA}) successful at black type level in England.
Hawkesbury, Race 2, 1.50pm, JDS Concreting Maiden, $35,000 1000m
Private Thoughts (Snitzel) has been taken along quietly by trainer John O’Shea and was put aside after finishing third in her sole 2-year-old appearance. She returned to finish fifth at Kembla Grange last month and with that outing under her belt she promises to be far more competitive under rider Rachel King, who has ridden the filly at the trials.
Private Thoughts as a yearling
She was a NZ$120,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale purchase and is a daughter of Tip The Wink (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}), a smart mare who won twice at Listed level and finished third in the G1 Railway H. Tip The Wink is out of a sister to the dual Group 1 winner Love Dance (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}) and the family of the G3 Winter Cup winner Morven Warrior (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}).
Hawkesbury, Race 3, 2.25pm, Elite Electrical Services H., $35,000, 1800m
Chains Of Honour (Redoute’s Choice) is a son of the former top quality mare Faint Perfume (Shamardal {USA}), who enjoyed a decorated career winning the G1 VRC Oaks and the G1 Vinery Stud S. At stud, she has a 100 per cent record with all four of her foals to race having been successful. The dam is out of Danendri (Danehill {USA}), also a two-time Group 1 winner, and she’s from a sister to the G3 Chairman’s H. winner Zingzam (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
The late Redoute's Choice, sire of Chains Of Honour
Trainer Gerald Ryan produced Chains Of Fortune to win first-up last preparation over 1600 metres and was then turned out after failing on wet going at the Kensington track. He’s had a couple of trials to prepare him for this and, as his pedigree would suggest, should relish the 1800 metres.
