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 Wednesday at Randwick-Kensington, we look at a half-brother to the brilliant, Group-winning filly In Her Time (Time Thief), plus a colt who is a half-brother to the Group 2 winner Subpoenaed (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}). At Sandown, we’ve got a promising colt whose dam is a half-sister to Starspangledbanner.
Randwick-Kensington, Race 1, 1.25pm AEST, Grainshaker Vodka H., $55,000, 1100m
Scorch, 3-year-old gelding (Impending x Hell It’s Hot {Zeditave})
This unraced gelding is from the seasoned producer Hell It’s Hot and, as such, he is a half-brother to the G1 The Galaxy and G1 Lightning S. winner In Her Time. In Her Time also won three other Group races and was placed in multiple others, and she was equal-leading older female in 2018. Hell It’s Hot is a half-sister to three stakes winners, while her other half-sister, Sin Sin Sin (Fantastic Light {USA}), is the dam of The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes.
Scorch, well-named, was consigned by Corumbene Stud (on behalf of Kanangra) to the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. He sold to Hawkes Racing for $240,000.
Scorch as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The gelding is trained by the Hawkes at Rosehill and he’s been fourth in a pair of trials at Warwick Farm to date. He will have Willie Pike aboard in this debut from barrier four.
Randwick-Kensington, Race 2, 2pm AEST, Ghaiyyath @ Darley H., $55,000, 1300m
Summons, 3-year-old colt (Almanzor {Fr} x Notice Received {NZ} {O’Reilly {NZ}})
Three-year-old Summons is a half-brother to G2 Golden Pendant winner Subpoenaed, who was also second and third at Group 3 level. The second dam in this pedigree is also a half-sister to Apple Danish (Danehill {USA}), who won the G3 Robert Sangster S., along with the Listed AJC Gimcrack S. and three other stakes races.
Summons was consigned by Hallmark Stud to Book 1 of the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, where he caught the eye of Yes Bloodstock, Chris Waller Racing and Bruce Perry Bloodstock. The group bought the colt for NZ$560,000.
Summons as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
He is trained by Waller at Rosehill and raced in the Yes Bloodstock colours, and he’s had four official trials since December. In the latest, he was fifth at Randwick on August 19. Summons will have Nash Rawiller aboard for this debut from barrier eight.
Sandown, Race 1, 1pm AEST, Ladbroke It! Plate, $55,000, 1200m
Garza Blanca, 3-year-old colt (I Am Invincible x Mousai {Fastnet Rock})
This colt is trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace at Cranbourne, and he was very promising in a maiden barrier trial on August 9. He finished second in that, just 0.10l off the winner. In this, he will have jockey Ethan Brown from barrier seven.
Garza Blanca has plenty of pedigree to recommend him. He is the first foal from the Fastnet Rock mare Mousai, who is a half-sister to the sprinting hero and sire, Starspangledbanner. Mousai is also a half-sister to the very decent producer Gold Chant (El Moxie {USA}), in turn the dam of the G1 Thousand Guineas winner Amicus (Fastnet Rock) and the stakes winner Cheer Leader (Snitzel).
Garza Blanca as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Garza Blanca was consigned by Vinery Stud to the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was bought by International Thoroughbred Solutions for $700,000.
Looking Back
Our Looking Ahead selections on Tuesday were relatively fruitless. At Scone, Athena Nyx (Star Turn) was unplaced and Doraskaya (Russian Revolution) was unplaced. At Warrnambool, Emathion (Sebring) was third.
