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 3-year-old runners are set to hit the track across Australia on Wednesday. These include a promising Zoustar gelding that looks hard to beat at Doomben, a Proisir gelding looks to break through at Sandown and a very-well bred Zoustar filly lines up at Canterbury.
Doomben, Race 2, 2.18pm AEST, The Gibson QTIS 3YO C&G Mdn Plate, $40,000, 1110m
Street Chase, 3-year-old gelding (Zoustar x Walk The Streets {Street Cry {Ire}})
The Stuart Kendrick-trained Zoustar gelding Street Chase will be having his second start at Doomben on Wednesday over 1110 metres. He ran a great race on debut when he ran on strongly from back in the field to run second behind All Inclusive (All Too Hard) at Doomben on February 14. He has had four trials since his debut including his last trial that he won very impressively by 4l at Eagle Farm on September 5 over 1000 metres when defeating Bold Smuggler (Bold Attraction).
This well-bred gelding is out of the Street Cry (Ire) mare Walk The Streets, who was a winner at a mile and metropolitan placed in Sydney. She has also had a successful start at stud with the best of them being the talented Stroll (Snitzel) who has been successful three times including in the Listed Mode S., and the Listed Bill Carter S.
Zoustar | Standing at Widden
Plenty of top-level performers feature in this extended pedigree including Kakakakatie (Zeditave), Sebrakate (Sebring), Quattro Katie (Zoustar), Moeraki (NZ) (El Roca), Bonanova (NZ) (Star Way {GB}), Prima Nova (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Bonaichi (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}).
Walk The Streets since producing Street Chase has left a 2-year-old filly by Zoustar, a yearling colt by Snitzel and is due to foal again to Zoustar in November.
Street Chase was a $650,000 purchase by Michael Sherrin/Clarke Bloodstock Pty Ltd (FBAA) from the draft of Baramul Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Sportsbet Sandown Hillside, Race 1, 12.15am AEST, Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Mdn Plate, $55,000, 1500m
Heff (NZ), 3-year-old gelding (Proisir x Passion Cut {NZ} {Pins})
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Proisir gelding Heff (NZ) will make his third start at Sandown over 1500 metres. He has shown promise at his two career starts, running second in both of them, with solid front-running performances behind Captain Barbossa (Shamus Award) and Lario (Epaulette).
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.
Heff (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
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 in the Listed Hill Smith S., 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 foaled a filly by Coolmore Stud’s Justify (USA) last month.
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, Kempinsky, Capital Diamond (NZ) (Lucky Unicorn), Authentic Jewel (I Am Invincible) and Gift Of Power (NZ) (Power {GB}).
Passion Cut since producing Heff, has left a Vadamos (Fr) yearling filly and is due to foal to Waikato Stud’s promising Ardrossan next month.
Heff was a $180,000 purchase by Busuttin Racing from the draft of Jamieson Park at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
Canterbury Park, Race 1, 1.25pm AEST, Drinkwise Plate, $100,000, 1100m
Zoubaby, 3-year-old filly (Zoustar x Magnaflight {Magnus})
The well-bred Zoubaby, is set to make her fourth start over 1000 metres for Rosehill trainers Richard and Will Freedman at Canterbury on Wednesday.
Zoubaby’s form is much better than it appears on face value, she has run fourth in city grade behind the subsequent Listed winner and very exciting Clean Energy (Zoustar) and another fourth in Listed company at Scone behind Lazzura (Snitzel). That form looks even stronger now with Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) twice running placings behind Clean Energy before breaking her maiden over the weekend in the G3 Ming Dynasty Quality H.
To prepare herself for this assignment, Zoubaby won a trial at Rosehill on September 5 over 900 metres defeating Writty (Written Tycoon).
Zoubaby as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Zoubaby is the first foal from Magnaflight. She was a winner at 1200 metres and is out of the five-time winner Snow Flight (NZ) (Colombia {NZ}) who has produced six winners including the talented sprinter Viddora (I Am Invincible), she won nine times on the track including the G1 AJ Moir S. and the G1 Winterbottom S. Her other winners include Relentless Me (Statue Of Liberty {USA}), Snowplough (Fiorente {Ire}), Shadow Chaser (Super One) and Jump’n Fly (I Am Invincible)
Magnaflight since producing Zoubaby has left a 2-year-old filly by Ole Kirk, a yearling filly by Hellbent and unfortunately missed to Extreme Choice last spring.
Zoubaby was a $300,000 purchase by Avenue Bloodstock/Richard and Will Freedman from the draft of Widden Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Looking Back
Commandoro (I Am Invincible) - ran well for third at Moruya, only going down narrowly after running on strongly.
Opening Address (NZ) (So You Think {NZ}) was impressive winning at Wodonga, he swooped to the front at the top of the straight and bounded away. He is one to follow especially as distances increase.
