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. These include a promising Deep Field gelding and a well-bred Churchill (Ire) filly racing at Hawkesbury and an Extreme Choice half-sister to Bel Merci resumes at Ipswich.
Hawkesbury, Race 1, 1pm AEDT, Performance Access Resources Super Mdn Plate, $60,000, 1600m
California Secret, 3-year-old gelding (Deep Field x Secret Liaison {Artie Schiller {USA}})
The Peter Snowden-trained California Secret will make his third start at Hawkesbury on Thursday. He has run twice and looked handy enough, his best effort was running fifth at Newcastle resuming on October 19 over 1200 metres, he made very good ground late and it looks like the mile will suit him nicely in this event
The promising gelding is by Deep Field and is the seventh foal from the Artie Schiller (USA) mare Secret Liaison, who was handy on the track winning six times from 1200 metres to 1800 metres including in the Listed Twilight Glow S. She has gone onto become a useful broodmare producing three winners including Styling City (Starspangledbanner) who was a five-time winner and Group-placed in Hong Kong, American Liaison (American Pharoah {USA}) won three times and Found Out (Exceed And Excel) was a dual winner.
California Secret as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Other Group winners that feature within the page are Eusebio (Benfica), Deferential (Royal Academy {USA}), Katima (Zeditave), Spring Heat (More Than Ready {USA}) and Overstep (Exceed And Excel).
Secret Liaison since producing California Secret has left a yearling colt by Extreme Choice and unfortunately missed last spring to State Of Rest (Ire) and Extreme Choice.
California Secret was a $475,000 purchase by Asian Bloodstock Services from the draft of Newgate Farm from the 2023 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Hawkesbury, Race 3, 2.10pm AEDT, Belle Property Hawkesbury F&M Mdn Plate, $42,000, 1400m
Starphistocated, 3-year-old filly (Churchill {Ire} x Starspangled {Ire} {Danehill {USA}})
The well-bred Starphistocated is set to have her second start over 1400 metres for trainer Anthony Cummings at Hawkesbury on Thursday. At her first start she made very good ground late, to finish fourth at Newcastle on October 19 over 1200 metres behind the promising Flying Embers (Shalaa {Ire}). The extra furlong and the experience from her debut should put her in a good spot to run well in this maiden event.
Starphistocated is a daughter of Churchill and is out of the Danehill (USA) mare Starspangled (Ire). So she is bred on the extended-cross of that outstanding Galileo (Ire)/Danehill combination. She was a winner at 8 and a half furlongs in Ireland and has gone on to become an outstanding broodmare leaving two outstanding Group 1 winners in Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}) who won the G1 Flight S. and Youngstar (High Chaparral {Ire}) who won the Queensland Oaks.
Churchill (Ire) | Standing at Coolmore
Further back in this outstanding pedigree page is the outstanding four-time Group 1 winner in Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), the G1 Metropolitan H., winner No Compromise (NZ) (Pins), the Listed winner Bradman (NZ) (Pins) and the Listed winner and Group 1-placed Benaud (Reliable Man {GB}).
Since producing Starphistocated, Starspangled has produced a 2-year-old filly by the Everest victor in Yes Yes Yes and most recently foaled a colt by Adelaide this spring in September.
Ipswich, Race 3, 3.02pm AEDT (2.02pm local), Imperial Racing Mdn Plate, $30,000, 800m
Surprise Honey, 3-year-old filly (Extreme Choice x Bel Mer {Bel Esprit})
Ipswich’s Thursday meeting will be the venue for the fourth start of Surprise Honey. In her first campaign she performed with merit; after failing on debut, she then ran solid placings at Doomben and Eagle Farm behind Matisse (Microphone) who has been Group-placed three times and Astapor (Tassort) who is now a three-time winner and has run fourth in three stakes events
The sharply bred filly is the 10th foal from the Bel Esprit mare Bel Mer, who was a classy sprinter winning four times including in the G1 Robert Sangster S., Listed Quezette S., Listed JRA S. and the Listed Heath S.
Surprise Honey as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
She has proven to be a very successful broodmare and has left nine winners including Bel Merci (Extreme Choice) who was the winner of the G3 Gimcrack S. on debut this season, the eight-time winner All Too Royal (All Too Hard) who has been a winner at Listed level, the seven-time winner Burning The Clock (Akeed Mofeed {GB}), the five-time winner Hauraki Golf (Written Tycoon), More Than Mum (More Than Ready {USA}), Orabelle (Casino Prince), the nine-time winner Flying One More (Onemorenomore), Great Southern (Husson {Arg}), Mystery Dancer (Akeed Mofeed {GB}).
Bel Mer since producing Surprise Honey has left the before-mentioned Group 3 winner Bel Merci, a yearling colt by Farnan and missed to Extreme Choice last spring.
Looking Back
Sir Woodpecker (So You Think {NZ}) ran a solid race on debut, he led up and only faded late in the piece to run third. It was a run of an improver and he should be winning soon.
Fauci (NZ) (Super Seth) was unfortunately scratched, he will keep for another day.
