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.
Sale takes the spotlight in the early part of Sunday afternoon with a pair of last-start placegetters who have strong credentials to clear maiden grade. We then cross the Tasman, where a 2-year-old race at Ellerslie features a filly worth following.
Sale, Race 1, 1.20pm AEDT, Vale John Duncan Mdn Plate, $35,000, 1732m
Savileo, 3-year-old gelding (Savabeel x Around The Clock {Galileo {Ire}})
Peter Moody kicks off Sunday's Sale meeting with the promising Savabeel gelding Savileo, who has shown good improvement in a two-start career to date. He finished fifth at Echuca in August, then returned to action at Cranbourne earlier this month with a strong-finishing second – 0.2l behind the winner Inordinate (Onemorenomore). That race was over 1600 metres, and the additional distance of Sunday’s race should suit.
Moody Racing paid $180,000 at the 2020 Inglis Australia Easter Yearling Sale to buy Savileo, who is a son of the twice-winning Galileo (Ire) mare Around The Clock.
Savileo as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Savileo is Around The Clock’s third foal to race, and his older siblings have both been winners. The headline act is Hall Of Fame (NZ), who has been a black-type star in both New Zealand and Hong Kong. He won the G1 Levin Classic at Trentham as a 3-year-old, and later added the G3 Premier Plate at Sha Tin, where he races under the name Dances With Dragon.
Sale, Race 3, 2.30pm AEDT, Anderson's Removals Maffra Mdn Plate, $35,000, 1106m
Tributo, 3-year-old gelding (Capitalist x Taliqua {Charge Forward})
Lindsay Park trainers Ben and JD Hayes have a live chance here with Tributo, who will line up for the second start of his career at Sale on Sunday. His only previous start came at Ararat on January 13, finishing third and 1.6l adrift of the winner Tranquil Bay (Cable Bay {Ire}). Jamie Mott takes the ride on Sunday and Tributo looks a leading contender despite a tricky wide draw.
Tributo is a graduate of the 2020 Inglis Classic Sale, where he was offered by Highgrove Stud and was bought for $180,000 by Lionrock Bloodstock, Ben Kwok, Bevan Smith Bloodstock and Andrew Williams Bloodstock.
Tributo as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
By star Newgate stallion Capitalist, Tributo is the first foal to race out of Taliqua, a sprint-winning daughter of the stakes-winning mare Anacarde (Anabaa {USA}).
Taliqua is a half-sister to Cajou (Encosta De Lago), who won two races and placed in the G2 Sapphire S. and Listed Triscay S., along with a fourth in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Cajou is also the dam of Allergic (Street Cry {Ire}), the winner of the G3 Colin Stephen H. and Listed WJ McKell Cup and placegetter in the G1 Metropolitan H. and South Australian Derby.
Ellerslie, Race 9, 3.10pm AEDT (5.10pm local), NZB Insurance Pearl Series 2YO, NZ$15,000, 1200m
Contagious (NZ) (Proisir x Quella Finale {NZ} {Zabeel {NZ}})
By one of New Zealand’s form stallions this season, Proisir, talented 2-year-old filly Contagious (NZ) looks like one to follow. She was a strong-finishing second on debut over 1000 metres on January 3, and the step up to 1200 this weekend is set to be ideal. She will be ridden by Vinnie Colgan for trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood.
Contagious is a graduate of New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2021 South Island Sale, where James and Wellwood secured her for NZ$41,000 from the draft of Rich Hill Stud.
Contagious (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
She is the first named foal out of the Zabeel (NZ) mare Quella Finale (NZ), who is out of a half-sister to Groundless Threats (NZ) (Clay Hero) – the winner of the G3 Lowland S. and placegetter in the G1 New Zealand Thousand Guineas.
This is also the family of Zepherin (NZ) (Zephyr Bay), who won the G1 New Zealand Oaks, placed in the G1 New Zealand Derby and is the dam of seven winners including G2 Surround S. winner Glenview (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}). Zepherin is the first, second or third dam of a dozen stakes-performers, including Atmosphere (NZ) (Savabeel), who won at Listed level in Melbourne and placed in the G2 Moonee Valley Vase before becoming a Group 1-performer in Hong Kong under the name Victory Magic.
Looking Back
Americain Angel (Americain {USA}) scored an impressive 2l victory at The Valley on Saturday, while Danny’s St Darci (All Too Hard) finished second at the same venue later in the afternoon. Akihiro (Maurice {Jpn}) was unplaced at Rosehill.
