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.
Two exciting runners are set to hit the track across New Zealand and Australia on Sunday, including a well-bred Waikato Stud owned Super Seth filly debuting at Oamaru and a three-quarter-sister to the Champion Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) by Pride Of Dubai debuting at Hawkesbury.
Oamaru, Race 1, 9.25am, AEST (11.25pm local), Bevan Crombie Memorial 2YO SW&P., $35,000, 1200m
Pretending (NZ), 2-year-old filly (Super Seth x Masquerade (NZ) {No Excuse Needed {GB})
Sunday’s Oamaru meeting will serve as the venue for the debut of the Waikato Stud Ltd bred and raced filly Pretending (NZ). She ran a solid third at her only trial start at Ashburton over 800 metres on April 16 behind Alberton Angel (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
Pretending is a daughter of Waikato Stud’s first season sire Super Seth, he has made a very promising start to his stud career so far leaving eight winners including the stakes-winners Linebacker (NZ) and Super Photon (NZ) and the multiple group-placed runner in Poetic Champion (NZ). She is the fifth foal from the No Excuse Needed (GB) mare Masquerade. She was talented on the track winning twice including the Listed Soliloquy S.
Super Seth | Standing at Waikato Stud
Masquerade is also a half-sister to Costume (NZ) (Savabeel), she was successful in the G1 Herbie Dyke S., and the G1 Hawkes Bay Spring Classic and Masque (NZ) (Savabeel) who was a winner as a juvenile and Listed placed.
Masquerade since producing Pretending has a yearling filly by Super Seth named She’s No Pie Eater (NZ), a weanling colt by Ardrossan and was served by Tivaci last spring.
Hawkesbury, Race 4, 1.50pm, AEST, Cabac-Hager F&M Mdn P., $42,000, 1100m
Wings Of Desire (Ire), 2-year-old filly (Pride Of Dubai x Vegas Showgirl (NZ) {Al Akbar})
Sunday’s Hawkesbury meeting will be the venue for the Michael Freedman trained royally-bred Wings Of Desire to make her debut.
Wings Of Desire is by the in-form sire in Pride Of Dubai who has been in such outstanding form all over the world this season leaving Group 1 horses such as Pride Of Jenni, Bella Nipotina, Desert Lightning (NZ) and Dubai Honour (Ire). She also has the mantle of being a three-quarter-sister to the Champion Mare Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) who was successful thirty seven times from 1100 meters to 2200 meters including in an incredible twenty five Group 1 races.
Pride Of Dubai | Standing at Coolmore
Winx features prominently in this pedigree but there is also a lot more depth and quality involved. Her dam Vegas Showgirl (NZ) was a talented filly in New Zealand and Australia winning twice at Listed level and has been successful at stud leaving the Champion Mare as well as El Divino (Snitzel) who was a dual winner at two including the G3 Kindergarten S., and the winners City Of Lights (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Time Of My Life (I Am Invincible), and Covent Garden (Exceed And Excel).
Bred and raced by Fairway Thoroughbred, with that pedigree and blood behind her, no matter what she does on the track she will be a very valuable broodmare when she eventually heads to the breeding barn.
Looking Back
Politely Dun (Dundeel {NZ}) ran a very good second at Flemington, Sensational Wind (I Am Invincible) ran fifth when she was running on late and Brokerage (Capitalist) had a wide run and finished sixth
