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 head across the Tasman to Te Aroha on Wednesday, where a brother to G1 Tarzino Trophy winner Dark Destroyer (NZ) (Proisir) makes his eagerly anticipated debut off the back of a recent trial win, before a beautifully bred 3-year-old daughter of Zoustar carrying the increasingly influential double cross of Danehill (USA) bids to build on her promising debut third when she steps out for the second time at Sandown Lakeside.
Te Aroha, Race 6, 2.39pm AEDT (4.39pm local), Capistrano Lodge 1200, NZ$25,000, 1200m
We Can Party (NZ), 4-year-old entire (Proisir x All Can Party (All American)
Connections of this well-bred entire will be hoping he proves worth the wait as he steps out for his belated debut in the hands of Sam Spratt.
We Can Party is a brother to last year’s G1 Tarzino Trophy hero Dark Destroyer, who is now based in Australia and made his stable debut for John O’Shea when finishing ninth in The Hunter at Newcastle earlier this month.
While Dark Destroyer was passed in at NZ$30,000 during Book 2 of the New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) Karaka Yearling Sale, We Can Party (NZ) had far more admirers when making his way through the very same Karaka sales ring a year later, where he was purchased for NZ$180,000 by his trainer Alex Oliveira’s Kaipira Lodge to become the second most expensive lot in the whole of Book 2.
We Can Party (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
The son of reigning NZ Champion Sire Proisir made almost every yard to win an 1150-metre trial at Te Awamutu earlier this month, and a glance at his pedigree makes it easy to see why they have kept him an entire despite being an unraced 4-year-old.
Not only is We Can Party a brother to a Group 1 winner, his grandam, Zeparty (Zeditave), is a half-sister to blue hen mare La Bamba (Last Tycoon {Ire}), whose four stakes winners are spearheaded by G1 Hong Kong Sprint winner Inspiration (Flying Spur) and Larneuk Stud-based stallion Wandjina.
Other sires on the page include Champion 2-Year-Old Dracula, Group 1 winner Festal and former Mapperley Stud stallion Complacent, who moved to stand at Haras du Mont Goubert in France last year.
Sandown Lakeside, Race 2, 1.35pm AEDT, Ladbrokes Hub Plate, $55,000, 1200m
Newzou (NZ), 3-year-old filly (Zoustar x Dark Hedges {Redoute’s Choice})
After making a promising debut when third at Pakenham last month, the blue-blooded 3-year-old filly Newzou (NZ) was sent for a jump-out at Balnarring by her trainer Matt Laurie on November 15 and produced an eye-catching performance, one which suggested a maiden victory shouldn’t be too far away.
Newzou is the first foal to race out of the unraced Redoute’s Choice mare Dark Hedges, who is a half-sister to Widden Stud’s exciting first-season sire Zousain, making this filly a close relation in blood to the multiple Group 1 placegetter.
Zoustar | Standing at Widden Stud
What’s more, Newzou is bred on the same red-hot cross of Zoustar over mares by immediate sons of Danehill as the likes of spring stars Ozzmosis, Joliestar and Mumbai Muse. Multiple Group 2 winner Haut Brion Her (Zoustar) is the best performed horse to date on the Zoustar/Redoute’s Choice cross.
The Yulong-owned Newzou will be ridden by leading jockey Jamie Kah in the 1200-metre contest.
Looking Back
Sadly, there was no joy for Tuesday’s selections, with Godolphin filly Effeminate (Street Boss {USA}) fourth on debut in the opening contest at Bendigo and Cleopatra Link (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) unplaced in the third race later on the card.
