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 New Zealand and Australia on Sunday. A Bivouac colt that has looked sharp at the trials debuts at Tauherenikau, a promising Capitalist filly debuts at Sunshine Coast and an Epaulette gelding resumes at Ararat.
Tauherenikau, Race 2, 11.45am AEDT (1.45pm local), Johnson Brothers 2YO, $18,500, 1000m
Carsolio, 2-year-old colt (Bivouac x Whitehaven {Pierro})
Carsolio, a son of Darley Stud’s exciting first-season stallion Bivouac, will make his debut for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson at Tauherenikau on Sunday. He looked very smart at the Waipa trials on October 29 when winning by 8l over 850 metres when defeating Boombox (Spirit Of Boom).
The dam of Carsolio is Whitehaven (Pierro), she only raced twice on the track and Carsolio is her second foal.
Carsolio as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
This family is a bit quiet upfront but it has a lot of depth some stakes-performers further back within this pedigree are Vancouver, Captain Coltish (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}), Skating (Danehill {USA}), Juste Momente (Giant’s Causeway {USA}), Swiss Exile (Pariah), Tenley (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), Biscayne Bay (Sebring), Murtajill and Bradbury’s Luck.
Carsolio sold for $350,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale with D C Ellis CNZM BANZ being the successful purchaser from the Segenhoe Stud draft.
Sunshine Coast, Race 3, 2.50pm AEDT (1.50pm local), Flying Start Syndications QTIS 3YO Mdn Plate, $30,000, 1000m
Break Free, 3-year-old filly (Capitalist x Fracture {Fastnet Rock})
The well-bred Break Free is set to make her debut over 1000 metres for Eagle Farm trainer Matthew Hoysted at Sunshine Coast on Sunday. She has trialled up very sharply winning both of her trials at Doomben on June 4 and then at Deagon on October 29 when defeating Land Bank (Territories {Ire}) by 3.75l over 1050 metres.
Break Free is the third live foal out of the Fastnet Rock mare Fracture, who was unraced on the track. She has already proven to be successful as a broodmare leaving the smart sprinter Snapped (Not A Single Doubt) who was a five-time winner including in the G3 Proud Miss S. and the Listed City Of Marion S.
Break Free as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Fracture is also well-related with her sister being the classy sprinter and stallion in Wanted, his biggest win was in the G1 Newmarket H. and a half-sibling is Shrapnel who was successful in the G2 Yallambee C. and the G3 Breeders’ S.
Since producing Break Free, Fracture has left a yearling colt by the G1 Golden Slipper winner in Farnan.
Ararat, Race 3, 2.30pm AEDT, Ararat Rural City Council Mdn Plate, $40,000, 1200m
Villandry, 3-year-old gelding (Epaulette x Loveseat {NZ} {Savabeel})
Trainer’s Anthony and Sam Freedman saddle up the Godolphin bred and owned gelding Villandry to make his second start at Ararat on Sunday.
At her first start he ran a battling sixth at Sale on July 4 before he was given some time to strengthen and develop before becoming a 3-year-old. He showed that he has come back well with a tidy trial win at Seymour on October 14 over 1000 metres when defeating the well-bred Qismah (Pride Of Dubai) by 0.4l.
Villandry is the second foal from Loveseat (NZ) (Savabeel) she was a four-time winner from 1550 metres to 2400 metres and counts the classy Missybeel (NZ) (Savabeel) as a full sister. Amongst her seven wins was success in the G3 Epona S. and the G3 Aspiration H.
Epaulette | Standing at Trurkish Jockey Club
His grandam Sitting Pretty (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) is very well-related being a half-sister to the nine-time winner Metal Bender (NZ) (Keeper), he was successful in the G1 Randwick Guineas, G1 George Ryder S. G1 Doomben Cup and the G1 Rosehill Guineas. Another half-sister is the stakes-placed Southern Venture (NZ) (Zabeel) who also as a producer went on to leave 10 individual winners.
This family has so much depth to it, and it includes the G1 New Zealand Oaks winner in Amarelinha (Savabeel), and the Group-winning stallions North Pacific and Sweet Ride.
Loveseat since producing Villandry has left a 2-year-old filly by Ghaiyyath (Ire) named Cushioned, a yearling filly by Kermedec (NZ) and most recently foaled a Ghaiyyath colt in August this year.
Looking Back
Smart Love (NZ) (Savabeel) won nicely at Te Rapa, she had a lovely run and even though she was very green once she hit the front, she did enough to hold on. She looks an improver over more ground and with more experience under her belt.
Canoodling (Capitalist) ran a very good second, she showed great speed, led up and only got run down late in the piece.
Chicama (Written Tycoon) was disappointing running eighth on debut at Rosehill.
