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 Thursday. These include a Per Incanto (USA) filly making her debut at Hawkesbury, a well-bred Zoustar filly chases maiden success also at Hawkesbury and Orange is the venue for an All Too Hard gelding to make his debut.
Hawkesbury, Race 2, 1.50pm AEDT, NSW Mental Health Awareness Month Mdn H., $42,000, 1300m
Twin Island (NZ), 3-year-old filly (Per Incanto {USA} x Special Light {Redoute’s Choice})
Hawkesbury’s Thursday meeting will serve as the venue for the debut in the career of Twin Island (NZ) a daughter of Per Incanto (USA) from the powerful Chris Waller stable. She has had two trials to prepare herself for this assignment and at her latest one she ran a very nice close-up third at Rosehill over 900 metres behind the very well-bred Olufsen (Zoustar).
Twin Island is the first foal from the Redoute’s Choice mare Special Light, she was a handy starter on the track in New Zealand winning 3-times between 2100 metres and 2200 metres.
Twin Island (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Overall Twin Island’s family is a bit quiet up front of black-type form but there are some outstanding gallopers further down the page. These include the 3-time Group 1 winner’s Fangirl (Sebring) and Special Harmony (Spinning World {USA}), and also the useful stakes-performers Little Surfer Girl (Encosta De Lago), King Canute (King Of Kings {Ire}), Reprisal (Galileo {Ire}), Redwoldt (King Of Kings), Double Heart (Lion Heart {USA}) and She’s Fit (Pride Of Dubai).
Special Light since producing Twin Island has left a 2-year-old colt by Savabeel, a yearling colt by Almanzor (Fr) and is due to foal to the outstanding Proisir next month.
Twin Island was purchased by KPW Bloodstock from the draft of Trelawney Stud for NZ$320,000 at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
Hawkesbury, Race 6, 4.20pm AEDT, The Lawn Shed Super Mdn H., $60,000, 1000m
Idolised, 3-year-old filly (Zoustar x Personalised {Snitzel})
The Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained Zoustar filly Idolised will be making her second start at Hawkesbury on Thursday over 1000 metres. On debut she ran a nice third behind The Deal (Dundeel {NZ}) at Kembla Grange over 1200 metres on September 14.
This well-bred filly is the third foal out of the Snitzel mare Personalised, who was a four-time winner from 1100 metres to 1600 metres in Queensland. She is very well-related being a half-sister to Personify (Galileo {Ire}) who was successful at Listed level and has kept up the strong female family tradition leaving the classy G1 VRC Oaks winner Personal (Fastnet Rock).
Idolised as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The third dam of Idolised is the Jade Hunter (USA) blue-hen mare Procrastinate, she was talented on the track being a Group 3 winner but excelled as a broodmare leaving twelve-winners including five individual stakes winners. These stakes-winners include the Champion South African Sprinter Laisserfaire (Danehill {USA}), Foreplay, A Time For Julia (Redoute’s Choice), Time Thief, As Time Goes By (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Ballack (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Almighty Girl (Beneteau).
Personalised has since left a yearling colt by I Am Invincible and is due to foal to Toronado (Ire) late this month.
Idolised was a $800,000 purchase by Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of Musk Creek Farm at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Orange, Race 1, 2.10pm AEDT, On-Trac Ag CG&E Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1000m
Hardhead, 3-year-old gelding (All Too Hard x Sugar Bay {Can} {Syncline {USA}})
The Bjorn Baker-trained Hardhead will travel to Orange on Thursday to make his debut over 1000 metres . He has looked good at the trials when running second in his first two at Warwick Farm behind talented types in Jelicious (Snitzel) and Yoshinobu (Written Tycoon). Then at his latest trial at Hawkesbury on September 17 he won impressively defeating Imperial Blossom by 5.19l over 1000 metres.
The promising gelding is by the proven and very reliable All Too Hard and is the eighth foal from the Syncline (USA) mare Sugar Bay (Can), who was an 8-time time winner on the track in America including having success at Listed level 5-times.
Sugar Bay has gone on to be a very handy broodmare leaving 6-winners with the best of them being Fifteen Rounds (I Am Invincible) who was successful 9-times including the Listed Australian Turf Club Trophy H. Her other winners include Sugar Bay Leonard (Encosta De Lago), Amaryliss (Commands), Invincible Bay (I Am Invincible), Noble One (Deep Field) and Sweet Lucifier (Hellbent).
Hardhead as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
The family page has some lovely colonial and international pedigree influences including Flying Spur, Snippets, Last Tycoon (Ire), Rahy (USA), Danzig (USA), Slew O’ Gold (USA) and Sharpen Up (GB).
Sugar Bay, since producing Hardhead has left a yearling colt by Cosmic Force and was served by Shooting To Win last spring but unfortunately passed away in August this year.
Hardhead was a $52,000 purchase by Azzurro Bloodstock from the draft of Hollywood Lodge Thoroughbreds at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale Showcase Session. He then failed to make his reserve and was passed in at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.
Looking Back
Agent Black Hand (Vadamos {Fr}) did things a bit wrong at Waverley on debut, after missing the kick he raced very keenly and as a result failed to finish his race off finishing tenth, he may improve with the experience.
He's A Saint (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}) had the flashing light on him when running a very good third at Doomben. He settled back last and charged home along the rail, he does look one to watch particularly once he gets to a middle distance.
Leconfield (Snitzel) ran another solid fourth resuming on the Kensington track, he looked like he peaked on his run and could be a quick improver next time up.
