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 Godolphin owned and James Cummings trained three-year-olds are set to hit the track at Hawkesbury on Thursday, including a well-bred Exceed And Excel filly chasing maiden success after showing promise at her first start and a well-related Lonhro filly makes her debut.
Hawkesbury, Race 1, 12.45pm, AEST, Congratulations Zac Lloyd 3YO Mdn H., $50,000, 1000m
Homecoming, 3-year-old filly (Exceed And Excel x Ventura {Lonhro})
The well-related Homecoming is set to have her second start for Godolphin’s head trainer James Cummings on the back of a very promising debut where she ran a very good second placing at Newcastle on August 3 over 900 metres behind Sneaky Sofia (Merchant Navy).
Homecoming is a daughter of Darley’s outstanding and now retired sire Exceed And Excel and is the fourth foal from the Lonhro mare Ventura. She was only placed on the track but has a very nice pedigree.
Exceed And Excel | Image courtesy of Darley
Ventura is a full-sister to the very talented Group 1 winner and stallion in Denman, he was successful in the G1 Golden Rose, Preserve (Canny Lad) is a half-sister who was the victor in the G1 Sires’ Produce S., and Rio Osa (Canny Lad) another half-sister who was successful at Listed level in Melbourne and Sydney.
The Exceed And Excel/Lonhro cross has had great success with a 76% winners to runners ratio and an impressive 14% stakes winners to runners ratio. A couple of notable performers on the track that are bred with this cross are the talented Group 3 winning juvenile Barber and the three-time Group 3 winning mare Minhaaj.
Ventura since producing Homecoming has produced a yearling colt by Blue Point (Ire) and is due to foal to the exciting first-season-sire in Paulele in October.
Hawkesbury, Race 4, 2.35pm, AEST, Clarendon Tavern Super Mdn P., $60,000, 1100m
Mother Goose, 3-year-old filly (Lonhro x Maternal {Street Cry {Ire}})
The well-bred three-year-old filly Mother Goose (Lonhro), is set to make her debut over 1100 metres for Darley Australia’s head trainer James Cummings at Hawkesbury on Thursday. In preparation she trialled nicely for third at Hawkesbury on August 5 over 1000 metres behind Mogul Monarch (Capitalist) who subsequently was successful in maiden company.
Mother Goose is the third live-foal out of the Street Cry (Ire) mare Maternal, who was a six-time winner including in the Listed Gai Waterhouse C.
She has already proven to be successful as a broodmare leaving two winners including the four-time winner and Listed fourth-placed Camaquey (Teofilo {Ire}) and Shipshape (Astern) who has won twice and been placed at metropolitan level.
Lonhro | Image courtesy of Darley
Mother Goose is also well-related with her grandam being the very classy Divine Madonna (Hurricane Sky) who was a four-time Group 1 winner on the track including in the G1 Emirates S., G1 Toorak H., G1 Myer C., and the G1 Queen Of The Turf S.
The Lonhro/Street Cry cross has had some success with a 69% winners to runners ratio and a respectable 6% stakes winners to runners ratio. The cross has been very beneficial for Godolphin when their homebred Lyre (Lonhro) was successful at Group 1 level in the G1 Blue Diamond S., as a juvenile. Since retiring, Lyre has produced a two-year-old colt named Wiser (Exceed And Excel), a yearling filly by Exceed And Excel and is due to foal to Bivouac in late October.
Since producing Mother Goose, Paternal has left a two-year-old colt by Bivouac, a yearling colt by Too Darn Hot (GB) and is due to foal to Microphone this spring.
Looking Back
A battling day of results for our Looking Ahead selections. Qatars Choice (I Am Invincible) ran seventh, Innervisions (I Am Invincible) ran eighth and Meltdown (Too Darn Hot {GB}) ran fifth.
