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.
Three exciting runners are set to hit the track across Australia on Saturday, including a very well-bred Microphone colt looking for maiden success at Kembla Grange. A Castelvecchio filly looking for maiden success at Caulfield and a promising Justify (USA) filly looks to stay unbeaten at Royal Randwick.
Kembla Grange, Race 3, 12.45pm, AEST, Become an ITC Member Today CG&E Mdn P., $42,000, 1300m
Lavalier, 2-year-old colt (Microphone x Accessories (GB) {Singspiel {Ire}})
Kembla Grange will serve as the venue for the second career start for Lavalier, a well-bred son of Microphone trained by Godolphin’s head-trainer James Cummings. Lavalier ran a very good third at Newcastle over 1200 metres on July 13 when he attacked the line well from back in the field behind fellow Looking Ahead selection Lutetia (Justify {USA}).
Microphone | Standing at Darley
Lavalier is out of the Singspiel (Ire) mare, Accessories (GB). She was unraced but has become a blue hen mare in the breeding shed. She has produced five winners and all of them have been Group winners on the track,managed top four placings in Group 1 races and three become stallions. Helmet was a three-time Group 1, Epaulette was a two-time Group 1 winner, Bullbars was successful in the G3 CS Hayes S., Pericles (Street Boss {USA}) has been the victor in two Group 2 races and the ill-fated Pearls (Exceed and Excel) was Group 2 and 3 winner.
The family is full of top-class Group 1 performed gallopers including Amazing Grace (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}), Anna Salai (USA) (Dubawi {Ire}), Adayar (Ire), National Defense (GB), Dubai Gina (Dubai Destination {USA}), Ave (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Tuvalu (Kermedec {NZ}) and Indian Blessing (GB) (Sepoy).
Accessories since producing Lavalier has a Ghaiyyath (Ire) weanling filly and was left empty last spring.
Caulfield, Race 2, 12.45pm, AEST, MRC Chairman’s Club H., $160,000, 1200m
Comanche Miss, 2-year-old filly (Castelvecchio x Ocean Challenger {Rubiton})
The well-bred Comanche Miss is set to make her second start over 1200 metres for Pakenham trainer Phillip Stokes at Caulfield on Saturday. In her first campaign she ran a slashing fourth on debut in Listed company at Caulfield on March 16 over 1100 meters where she didn’t have a lot of luck late in the race behind the smart Bold Bastille (Brazen Beau). After having a break, her preparation for this race has included a very smart jumpout win at Pakenham on July 16 over 1000 metres.
Comanche Miss as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Comanche Miss is a daughter of Arrowfield Stud’s first-season stallion Castelvecchio and is out of the talented Rubiton mare Ocean Challenger. She was a eight-time winner on the track from 1200 metres to 1600 metres including the G3 Tesio S.
Ocean Challenger has already proven to be a very good broodmare leaving five individual winners. The best of these has been Super Maxi (Redoute’s Choice) who was a six-time winner including the Listed Newmarket H., her other winners include Pariah Pearl (Pariah), Ocean’s Fifteen (Redoute’s Choice), Salty (Bel Esprit) and Proklisi (Scissor Kick).
Ocean Challenger since producing Comanche Miss, has left a yearling gelding by Pariah named Ullrich, a weanling filly by Admire Mars.
Royal Randwick, Race 1, 11.20am, AEST, Ranvet H., $160,000, 1100m
Lutetia, 2-year-old filly (Justify (USA) x Peaceful Sea {Fastnet Rock})
The promising Lutetia is set to have her second start over 1100 metres at Royal Randwick for Newcastle based trainer Kris Lees on the back of an impressive maiden win at Newcastle on July 13 over 1200 metres where she defeated Dark Gleam (Brazen Beau). She is a genuine Coolmore Stud product being bred and raced by them as well as being by a Coolmore stallion.
Lutetia is a son of Coolmore Stud’s outstanding sire Justify and is the fourth foal from the Fastnet Rock mare Peaceful Sea. She was a winner over 1200 metres and metropolitan placed in Sydney on the track. She herself was an expensive $1,750,000 purchase by Coolmore Stud from the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Justify (USA) | Standing at Coolmore
The Justify/Fastnet Rock cross has had great success with a 73% winners to runners ratio and an outstanding 18% stakes winners to runners ratio. The stakes-winning gallopers on the track with this cross includes the boom colt Storm Boy, Learning To Fly, Star Of Justice and Just Steel (USA).
She has made a promising start to her broodmare career leaving two winners from two to race, these include the eight-time winner Peacemaker (American Pharoah {USA}) and the two-time winner Pleasure Cruise (Justify).
The pedigree page is lacking some black-type up close, but Lutetia’s second-dam Candlelight (USA) (Kingmambo {USA}) was a winner at 1200 metres but more significantly is a half-sister to the successful American stallion in Grand Slam (USA) and another stallion in Leestown (USA).
Peaceful Sea has since produced a weanling half-sister by Coolmore Stud's exciting Home Affairs and was again served by Justify last spring.
Looking Back
Our Braveheart (Ardrossan) was disappointing running sixth, Inkaantoon (Per Incanto {USA}) ran an okay fourth, Quello Dorato (Trapeze Artist) was very good running third, he was strong at the line and is one to follow.
