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 Thursday, including a Written Tycoon mare that looks ready to win at Ipswich, and at Geelong a Trapeze Artist half-brother to the outstanding sprinter Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) chases maiden success and a well-bred Proisir colt debuts.
Ipswich, Race 3, 12.49pm AEST, Lance’s 50th Midlife Crisis Fillies and Mares Mdn H., $30,000, 1100m
Morganite, 4-year-old mare (Written Tycoon x Chakvetadze (Taimazov {Arg}))
Ipswich’s Friday meeting will serve as the venue for the second start in the career of Morganite, a well-bred daughter of Written Tycoon from the Tony Gollan stable at Eagle Farm. On debut she ran a very good close-up second at Ipswich on July 24 behind her talented stablemate Dance Wizzard (Choisir) over 1200 metres.
Morganite is the sixth foal out of the talented mare Chakvetadze (Taimazov {Arg}). She was an eight-time winner up to 1350 metres including tasting success in the G3 Gold Coast Guineas and placing in the G3 Millie Fox S.
Morganite as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
She has also had good success as a broodmare leaving four winners including the three-time winner All Stardom (All Too Hard), the three-time winner Hantuchova (Big Brown {USA}), Pharaohs Rush (All Too Hard) and Hardachak (All Too Hard).
Chakvetadze since producing Morganite, has produced an Alabama Express 3-year-old colt and a 2-year old colt by Dirty Work before she was then retired from her broodmare career.
Morganite was a $350,000 purchase by Gollan Racing from the draft of Kulani Park at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Ladbrokes Geelong, Race 1, 11.45am AEST, Geelong Homes Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1500m
Quello Dorato, 3-year-old gelding (Trapeze Artist x Bella Orfana {Star Witness})
Friday’s Geelong meeting will be the venue for the Danny O’Brien-trained Quello Dorato to make his second start. On debut on the same track, he ran a very good third over 1447 metres on July 26 where he was running home very strongly late, which suggests that a slight step-up in distance and the experience of his debut will be of assistance.
Quello Dorato is by the Widden Stud’s promising sire Trapeze Artist and is out of the Star Witness mare Bella Orfana who was placed at Geelong during her brief racing career.
She has already made a great start to her broodmare leaving the super classy and tough sprinter Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai), she has been successful nine times in her career so far including success in the G1 Manikato S., G1 Doomben 10,000 S., G1 Tattersall’s Tiara, G2 Sapphire S., G3 How Now S., G3 Quezette S., and the Listed Carlyon S. Also amongst those wins have been top four placings in another 10 Group 1 races as well as many more stakes races. Bella Sorellina (Capitalist) is her other runner to race and she won three times over sprint distances in Melbourne and managed a city placing at Moonee Valley. She has since been retired and is due to foal to Jacquinot this spring.
Quello Dorato as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Bella Orfana also has the mantle of being a three-quarter sister to the talented mare Hallowell Belle (Starcraft {NZ}) who was successful in the G2 Gilgai S., and the Listed Darby Munro and managed placings in the G1 Flight S., G1 TJ Smith S., G1 Patinack C., G1 Thousand Guineas amongst other stakes races.
Another half-sister is Fuddle Dee Duddle (Red Ransom {USA}) who was also a smart sprinter who was the victress in the G3 Champion Fillies S. in Perth, she has went on to become a successful broodmare leaving four individual winners including Brereton (Zoustar) who cost $1,000,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale before he gained success in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate, he has recently won two metropolitan races in Queensland in succession since moving to the stable of Tony Gollan.
Quello Dorato was a $280,000 purchase by O’Brien Thoroughbreds (Aust) Pty Ltd from the draft of Longwood Thoroughbred Farm at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Ladbrokes Geelong, Race 2, 12.15am AEST, Prestige Jayco Geelong Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1200m
Heff (NZ), 3-year-old colt (Proisir x Passion Cut {NZ} (Pins))
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Heff (NZ) (Proisir) will debut at Geelong on Friday over 1200 metres after winning a jump-out at Cranbourne on July 29 over 1000 metres.
Passion Cut (NZ) was unraced on the track but has also made a promising start to her broodmare career having left the G3 Wellington S.-winning gelding Devastate (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}). He managed five wins from the Andrew Forsman stable and has since relocated to Brisbane where he ran a promising third at metropolitan-level behind Flying Trapeze (Trapeze Artist) at Doomben on July 27.
Passion Cut is very well-related, she is a blood-sister to Special Lover (NZ) (Pins) who was a stakes-placed filly on the track and as a broodmare she has made a super start. She has left two individual winners with the best of these being Miss Roseiano (Exceed And Excel) who was the winner of the G3 Blue Diamond Preview Fillies and recently sold to Tom Magnier for $1,275,000 at the 2023 Inglis Digital Online July Sale and has since been served by Coolmore Stud’s Justify (USA).
Heff (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
A descendant of - the famed matriarch Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) - Heff comes from an outstanding family. Other successful Group performers within his pedigree are Don Eduardo (NZ), Tristalove (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), Viscount, Shower Of Roses (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), Viking Ruler (Danehill {USA}), Kempinsky (Danehill), Capital Diamond (NZ) (Lucky Unicorn), Authentic Jewel (I Am Invincible) and Gift Of Power (Power {GB}).
Passion Cut since producing Heff, has left a Vadamos yearling filly and was most recently served by Ardrossan last spring.
Heff was a $180,000 purchase by Busuttin Racing from the draft of Jamieson Park at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
Looking Back
Federer (Dundeel {NZ}) could not have been more impressive winning at Ballarat, he looks a very promising staying type of gelding.
Maori Chief (I Am Invincible) was a very solid second on debut at Newcastle, he is one to watch.
Retainer (Fastnet Rock) was scratched, we will keep an eye out for her.
