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. These include a promising Cosmic Force 2-year-old on debut at Eagle Farm, a So You Think filly makes her debut at Traralgon and a Per Incanto (USA) filly chases maiden success at Newcastle.
Eagle Farm, Race 1, 1.32pm AEDT (12.32pm local), Jonker First Yearlings 2025 QTIS 2YO H., $85,000, 1000m
Maddie’s Comet, 2-year-old filly (Cosmic Force x Killcareless {More Than Ready {USA}})
The Eagle Farm based-trainer’s Chris and Corey Munce saddle up the sharply bred filly Maddie’s Comet to make her debut over 1000 metres on her home track on Saturday.
This promising filly is the sixth live foal from the More Than Ready (USA) mare Killcareless, who was a winner at 1300 metres at metropolitan level in Sydney on the track. She has become a handy producer with all four of her foals to race being winners with the best of these being Remorseless (Written Tycoon) who was a four-time winner and was placed in the R. Listed Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Her other winners include the very promising Extremely Hardys (Extreme Choice) who is unbeaten in two starts and competes in the G3 The Tab Vanity on Saturday, Never Careless (Capitalist) and Wahine (Fastnet Rock).
Further back in the family there are plenty of stallions and top-class horses that feature within the page. Some of the stallions include Rubick, Manhattan Rain, Echoes Of Heaven, Niagara, Hurricane Sky, Umatilla (NZ), Hilal, Platinum Scissors and the legendary Redoute’s Choice.
Maddie's Comet as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Other Group winners that feature within the family are Monsoon Wedding (Danehill {USA}), Salameh (Secret Savings {USA}), Shoals (Fastnet Rock), Schwarz (Zoustar), Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai), Meuse (Snitzel), Gathering (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) and Rustic Steel (Deep Field).
Killcareless since producing Maddie’s Comet has left a Cosmic Force filly that was born in September this spring.
Maddie’s Comet was purchased for $100,000 by BK Racing and Breeding/Vassallo Racing Management from the draft of Kingstar Farm at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Bet 365 Traralgon, Race 2, 1.16pm AEDT, Latrobe City Council Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1100m
She Thinks Ahead, 3-year-old filly (So You Think {NZ} x Premeditated {Commands})
The John McArdle-trained She Thinks Ahead will make her debut at Traralgon over 1100 metres. In preparation for this race assignment, she has jumped out nicely at Caulfield and Mornington placing in both of them.
The promising filly is the sixth live foal from the Commands mare Premeditated, who was unraced on the track but has already left three winners with the best of them being the seven-time winner and stakes placed Domesday gelding Grim Reaper-Rule The World (Sing). She is also very well related being a half-sister to the Malice (Teofilo {Ire}) who was a six-time winner from 1200 metres to 2000 meters including twice winning the Listed ATC Cup.
She Thinks Ahead as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
This family has so much depth to it further back and other Group-performers in the page include the outstanding Criterion (NZ) who was successful seven times including in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S., G1 Rosehill Guineas, G1 Australian Derby and the G1 Caulfield S. Comin’ Through (Fastnet Rock), Silently (Anabaa {USA}) Gaze On (Intergaze), Bittercreek (Snitzel), Bull Point, Muwaary (O’Reilly {NZ}), Siege Of Quebec (Fastnet Rock), Megastar Heart (Star Turn) and Charm Stone (I Am Invincible).
Premeditated since producing She Thinks Ahead has left a 2-year-old filly named Gin Spirit (Spirit Of Boom), a yearling filly by Tiger Of Malay and most recently foaled a filly by Spirit Of Boom in September this spring.
She Thinks Ahead was originally a $160,000 purchase by Fernrigg Farm/Avesta Bloodstock from the draft of Bell River Thoroughbreds at the 2022 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale. She was then a successful pinhook when selling from the Fernrigg Farm draft for $250,000 to Redgum Racing from the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Newcastle, Race 3, 2.25pm AEDT, Huxley Hill F&M Mdn H., $42,000, 1300m
Twin Island (NZ), 3-year-old filly (Per Incanto {USA} x Special Light {Redoute’s Choice})
Newcastle’s Saturday meeting will serve as the venue for the second start in the career of Twin Island (NZ) a daughter of Per Incanto from the powerful Chris Waller stable. Before her debut she 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). Then on debut she ran an okay sixth at Hawkesbury where she ground away well over 1300 metres on October 10.
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 three 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 three-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 {Ire}), 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 was due to foal to Proisir this month.
Twin Island was purchased by KPW Bloodstock from the draft of Trelawney Stud for $320,000 at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
Looking Back
Fauci (NZ) (Super Seth) was unfortunately scratched, he will keep for another day
Glamour Ana (Spirit Of Boom) ran a very nice run for second at Kilmore, the winner was dominant but she was very good behind. A win is just around the corner.
