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 Wednesday. These include a beautifully bred Exceed And Excel filly making her debut at Ipswich, a Sweynesse mare coming out of a strong maiden race looks well-placed at Rotorua and a Nathaniel (GB) gelding chases maiden success at Caulfield.
Ipswich, Race 2, 2.38pm AEDT (1.38pm local), Seven News @ Widden Mdn H., $30,000, 1100m
Some Style, 3-year-old filly (Exceed And Excel x Miss Marielle {Encosta De Lago})
The very well-related Some Style is set to debut over 1100 metres for Eagle Farm trainer Tony Gollan at Ipswich on Wednesday in the hands of in-form jockey Angela Jones.
Some Style is a daughter of Darley Stud’s outstanding and now pensioned Exceed And Excel and is out of the Encosta De Lago mare Miss Marielle. She was a classy six-time winner and these wins included the G2 Hill S., G3 Craven Plate, Listed Express S. and the Listed Alexandra S.
Some Style as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
She has already made her mark at stud leaving five individual winners including the classy mare Peeping (Redoute’s Choice) who amongst her six wins was the G1 Coolmore Classic, the talented gelding France - Encouraging (H.K.) (Redoute’s Choice) who was successful in the Restricted Listed Inglis 3YO Guineas, the seven-time winner Armed And Ready (More Than Ready {USA}), the four-time winner Da Nang Star (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) and the two-time winner Able Red - Another Zonda (HK) (The Autumn Sun).
Miss Marielle since producing Some Style has left a yearling filly by exciting young sire Farnan and most recently foaled an Exceed And Excel filly in October this spring.
Peachester Lodge Trust was the purchaser of Some Style for $500,000 from the draft of Lime Country Thoroughbreds at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Rotorua, Race 2, 1.20pm AEDT (3.20pm local), Arawa Park Hotel Mdn., $25,000, 1230m
Phoebe Buffay (NZ), 4-year-old mare (Sweynesse x Phoebe Snow {NZ} {No Excuse Needed {GB}})
Phoebe Buffay (NZ), a daughter of Sweynesse, will be making her second start at Rotorua on Wednesday for in-form Matamata trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott and jockey Warren Kennedy. On November 7 she ran a narrow third on debut at Pukekohe behind Hinekaha (NZ) (Savabeel) over 1200 metres. This form from this race now looks outstanding, Hinekaha subsequently ran a slashing third at Listed level at Ellerslie behind the talented Checkmate (NZ) (Mongolian Khan), the runner-up We Found Love (Exceedance) has ran another good second at Ellerslie and the fourth horse Reggae Queen (Exceedance) was a very impressive maiden winner at Te Aroha on November 27.
The well-bred mare is the third foal from the No Excuse Needed (GB) mare Phoebe Snow (NZ), who was a winner at Matamata over 1400 metres. She has already had success at stud leaving Miss Dixie (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) who has won three times and placed in the Wanganui Guineas and Diablo Blanco (NZ) (Super Seth) who has already won three times and going by her talent she has shown there will be more to come as she is only a 3-year-old filly.
Sweynesse | Standing at Novara Park
She is very well-related being out of the two-time winning O’Reilly (NZ) mare Freequence (NZ). She was a very handy broodmare leaving seven winners including the 15-time winner and Group 1 winner I Do (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}), the talented Listed-winning stayer Iggi Pop (NZ) (Savabeel) and the 13-time winner Moreno (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}).
Phoebe Snow has also left a Super Seth 2-year-old filly and has a The Chosen One (NZ) yearling colt heading to the 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale as Lot 771.
Caulfield Heath, Race 1, 3.40pm AEDT, Sportsbet Jockey Watch Mdn Plate, $55,000, 1600m
Thurmond (GB), 4-year-old gelding (Nathaniel {Ire} x Winsili {GB} {Dansili {GB}})
The promising Thurmond (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) is set to have his third start for Ciaron Maher at Caulfield on Wednesday. He ran third at Dundalk over 2112 metres on debut on January 31 in Ireland and at his first run in Australia he ran a promising third at Pakenham on November 8 over 1600 metres.
Thurmond is a son of the high-class Nathaniel (Ire) who has sired nine individual Group 1 winners from his base at Newsells Park Stud in England including the Champion and 11-time Group 1 winner in Enable (GB). Thurmond is out of the very talented mare Winsili (GB) (Dansili {GB}) who was successful in the G1 Nassau S. amongst her three wins.
Nathaniel (Ire) | Standing at Newsells Park Stud
Winsili herself is a three-quarter sister to Ice Blue (GB) (Dansili {GB}) who was a Group 2 winner in France and a half-sister to the Listed winners Backcountry (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Franconia (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
His pedigree is full of international stallions such as Galileo (Ire), Sadler’s Wells (USA), Danehill (USA), Pivotal (GB), Nijinsky II (Can), Roberto (USA) and Rainbow Quest (USA).
Thurmond was withdrawn from the 2024 Tattersalls February Sale.
Looking Back
Both Rambling (Zoustar) and Rose Diamond (Fastnet Rock) were scratched. They will keep for another day.
