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.
We commence at Newcastle on Saturday where the 2-year-olds are first-up in the Max Lees Classic. Godolphin has two juveniles on debut, including a well-related Exceed And Excel colt. In the same race, a close relation to the super sprinter Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) begins his career. Further north at the Sunshine Coast, Outback Barbie’s (Spirit Of Boom) sister goes to the races for the first time.
Newcastle, Race 1, 12.35pm AEDT, NZB Airfreight Max Lees Classic, $160,000, 900m
Gram, 2-year-old colt (Exceed And Excel x Sayf Shamal {USA} {Elusive Quality {USA}})
This colt is a homebred for Godolphin Australia and he is from a winner in Great Britain who is a three-quarter sister to the stakes performer Lascars (Sepoy) and a half-sister to the brilliant broodmare Essaouira (Exceed And Excel) - the dam of the Group 1 winners Alizee (Sepoy) and Astern. The latter is also a Group 1-producing sire.
The James Cummings-trained Gram is a brother to the Group 3 scorer Zulfiqar.
Exceed And Excel | Standing at Darley
This is also the family of the stakes performers Tassort and Mogador (Lonhro). The former is a Group 3-producing stallion.
Tyler Schiller rides the colt, who has trialled twice.
Newcastle, Race 1, 12.35pm AEDT, NZB Airfreight Max Lees Classic, $160,000, 900m
Market Magic, 2-year-old colt (Capitalist x Rekindled Choice {Redoute’s Choice})
This colt was offered by his breeder - Yulong Stud - at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. He was bought for $460,000 by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds.
Market Magic is out of an unraced mare who is a sister to the Group 1 hero Alabama Express and he himself has made a brilliant start to his stallion career, already siring the Group 3 victress Karavas. Rekindled Choice is also a three-quarter sister to the stakes performers Rekindled Power (Redoute’s Choice) and Shuffle Up (Redoute’s Choice).
Market Magic as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Market Magic is closely related to the brilliant sprinter Giga Kick - a two-time Group 1 winner and The Everest champion of 2022.
The colt looked smart when winning a Randwick trial on November 3 under Tim Clark and he will be in the saddle here.
Sunshine Coast, Race 1, 1.18pm AEDT (12.18pm local), OGE Architects QTIS 2YO H., $85,000, 1000m
Barbie’s Sister, 2-year-old filly (Spirit Of Boom x Pure Purrfection {General Nediym})
Eureka Cambooya Thoroughbreds bred this filly and she was consigned by Eureka Stud at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Harvey Black purchased the filly for $300,000.
The aptly named Barbie’s Sister is a sister to the four-time Listed victress Outback Barbie. That pair are from a Listed winner and she herself is half-sister to the Listed victor Global Warming (Agnes World {USA}) and the stakes performer Zorocat (Toronado {Ire}).
Barbie's Sister as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The dual Listed scorer She’s Purring (Flying Spur) is the filly’s second dam.
The Tony Gollan-trained Barbie’s Sister - a 7l trial winner at Deagon last month - will be partnered by Angela Jones.
Looking Back
At Gundagai, Kreon (Rulership {Jpn}), was scratched from Race 1, but he did debut in Race 3 and won stylishly. On Friday night at Canterbury Park, Determination (Churchill {Ire}) was unplaced in Race 2, while Iced Chocolate (I Am Invincible) was withdrawn from Race 3.
