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 early in its career chasing maiden success, a promising galloper returning to the track or a horse which has trialled particularly well, we’ll aim to give you something to follow.
The Waterhouse/Bott juvenile train rolls on with debutant trial winner Bullfighter (Capitalist) at Muswellbrook, while at Ballarat, the first foal of Group 1 winner I Am A Star (I Am Invincible) aims for three in succession.
Muswellbrook, Race 2, 12:55pm, AEST, Racing At Muswellbrook 2YO H., $27,000, 1000m
Bullfighter, 2-year-old colt (Capitalist x Espaaniyah, by I Am Invincible)
The Waterhouse/Bott team unleash another debutant juvenile with trial winner Bullfighter at Muswellbrook. Bullfighter was sold as a weanling by Emirates Park to Alice Berry at the Magic Millions National Sale, and then sold again as a yearling by Coolmore Stud to Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott and Kestrel Racing at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $420,000. The Waterhouse/Bott team’s 2-year-olds have flown this year, so Bullfighter has plenty of credentials to win here.
Bullfighter as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
By Golden Slipper winner Capitalist who is now the proven sire of 19 stakes winners, Bullfighter is the first foal of R-Listed Inglis Banner S. winner Espaaniyah (I Am Invincible). She is one of three winners for stakes placed winner Catalonia (Flying Spur) who is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Jorda (Exceed and Excel). This is the family of dual Group 1 winner She’s Extreme (Extreme Choice).
The field also includes the debut starts for Imabarbiegirl (Sooboog) who is the nineth foal of Group 1 winner Imananabaa (Anabaa {USA}) and Firework (Written Tycoon) who is out of stakes placed winner Earth Angel (Animal Kingdom {}), a daughter of Group 1 winner Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice).
Ballarat, Race 2, 2:00pm, AEST, Martin Collins BM70 H., $27,000, 1400m
Orion The Hunter, 3-year-old gelding (Deep Field-I Am A Star, by I Am Invincible)
I Am A Star (I Am Invincible) put her sire on the map with her win in the 2016 G1 Myer Classic and all up she won ten of her 31 starts and over $1.5million. Offered at the Magic Millions National Sale, she was passed in as a broodmare prospect.
Orion The Hunter | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Sent to Deep Field for her first mating, she produced a chestnut colt who lit up the sales ring at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, selling to Shane Nichols Racing for $800,000. Now gelded, Orion The Hunter has won four of his thirteen starts including his last two in a row.
I Am A Star has an unraced 2-year-old colt, I Am A Rockstar (Fastnet Rock), and two fillies by Extreme Choice, a yearling and a weanling.
Looking Back
Our selections for Sunday: Convertor ran fourth and Cannon faded.
