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.
Two exciting runners are set to hit the track at Ballarat on Thursday. A well-bred Dundeel (NZ) 3-year-old colt makes his debut and a promising Savabeel mare resumes after showing plenty of promise in her first campaign.
Sportsbet-Ballarat, Race 3, 2.30pm AEDT, Whitford Liquid Waste Mdn Plate, $75,000, 1400m
Dunori, 3-year-old colt (Dundeel {NZ} x Oribella {Olympic Glory {Ire}})
The Ciaron Maher-trained Dundeel colt Dunori will be making his debut at Ballarat on Thursday over 1400 metres. He has prepared for this debut assignment with a lovely jump-out win at Cranbourne over 1000 metres on November 4 when defeating the well-bred Bold Strike (Too Darn Hot {GB})
This well-related colt is the first foal out of the Olympic Glory (Ire) mare Oribella who was a winner as a juvenile, she counts Lady Jivago (Beneteau) as a half-sibling, she was a four-time winner up to 1200 metres including the R. Listed Inglis 2YO Classic. Lady Jivago has made a great start to her broodmare career with her first foal Zamborghini (Zoustar) selling for $1,250,000 to Matt Laurie Racing from the draft of Widden Stud. He has gone on to win five races so far in his racing career.
Dunori as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
While the page is a little bit quiet of black type up close in the pedigree, there is plenty under the fourth dam. Some of these top-level stakes performers in the family include the super stallion Not A Single Doubt, the young sire King’s Legacy and the Group 1-winning filly Oohood (I Am Invincible).
Oribella since producing Dunori has produced a 2-year-old filly by Written Tycoon named Written Destiny, and a yearling colt by Alabama Express.
Dunori was passed in short of his $100,000 reserve at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Sportsbet-Ballarat, Race 4, 3pm AEDT, The Haymarket Mdn Plate, $75,000, 1400m
Dream All Day (NZ), 4-year-old mare (Savabeel x Posy {NZ} {No Excuse Needed {GB}})
Ballarat’s Thursday meeting will serve as the venue for the fourth start for the Waikato Stud-bred and M J Chittick-owned filly Dream All Day (NZ). She has shown very good form in her race career running a solid debut race for third on debut at Ballarat, a close-up second at Pakenham and a very good third at Flemington on June 22 over 2000 metres in a $150,000 race where she hit the line strongly from well back in the field.
Dream All Day is by the Champion New Zealand sire in Savabeel and she has a strong pedigree with her page full of influential international and colonial stallions including Mill Reef (USA), Shirley Heights (GB), Habitat (USA), Machiavellian (USA), Success Express (USA), O’Reilly (NZ) and Zabeel (NZ).
Her dam Posy (NZ) was a two-time winner on the track but is very well-related. She is a full sister to the classy stayer Daffodil (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}) her wins included the G1 Australian Oaks, G1 Windsor Park Challenge Plate and the G1 NZ 1000 Guineas.
Savabeel | Standing at Waikato Stud
She has been successful at stud leaving Grand De Flora (NZ) (Savabeel) who won four times in Australia and placed in the G2 Sunline S. Grand Bouquet (NZ) (Savabeel) who won five times from 1300 metres to 2100 metres and was placed in the Listed Marton Cup and the G3 Counties Cup and Snowdrop (NZ) (Pins) has been a six-time winner and was Listed placed in the Counties Bowl and the Newmarket H.
Dream All Day is also a full sister to the outstanding and durable Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) who is an 11-time winner including the G1 LKS MacKinnon S., G1 Empire Rose S., G1 Queen Of The Turf S., G2 Blamey S., G2 Matriarch S., G3 Bill Ritchie H., Listed Inglewood S. and the Listed Warstep S.
Mazzolino (NZ) (Savabeel) is another full sister, and she is a winner of the G3 Desert Gold S. The current star performer that also features in the pedigree is Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) who last season had an outstanding 3-year-old campaign winning the Karaka Millions 3YO Classic, G2 Avondale Guineas, G1 NZ Derby and the G1 Vinery S., and she ran a gallant race in the G1 Australian Oaks placing third.
Since producing Dream All Day, Posy has had some bad luck but this spring she foaled a filly by Waikato Stud’s exciting young sire Ardrossan.
Looking Back
Miss Ziggy (NZ) (Brazen Beau) ran a great race for second at Riccarton, she was beat by a smart filly, but her run was full of merit.
Hello Romeo (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) was a dominant winner at Bendigo, it was a very nice win, and he may be a colt to follow.
