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 an Exceed And Excel 2-year-old filly making her debut at Newcastle, a Better Than Ready 2-year-old colt making his debut at Eagle Farm and an American Pharoah (USA) colt has his first attempt at a middle distance at Wangaratta.
Newcastle, Race 1, 2pm AEDT, Hobson Engineering 2YO Mdn H., $42,000, 900m
Charka, 2-year-old filly (Exceed And Excel x Handspun {Bernardini {USA}})
Newcastle will serve as the venue for the debut of Charka, a well-bred 2-year-old daughter of Exceed And Excel that was bred and is owned by Godolphin Australia, and is trained by Godolphin’s head trainer James Cummings. Charka looked smart at the Randwick trials on November 26 where she won impressively over 740 metres when defeating Tomato Toastie (Too Darn Hot {GB}) by 0.74l.
Charka is the first foal from the Bernardini (USA) mare Handpsun, who was a speedy five-time winner up to 1350 metres in Sydney.
Exceed And Excel
Overall Charka’s family is a bit quiet up front of black-type form but her third dam is the very classy mare In A Bound (Ashkalani {Ire}) she was a five-time winner up to 1550 metres and her best win was in the G2 Queen of the Turf S. Her dam Bounding Away (Biscay) was even better performed, included amongst her nine wins was the G1 Golden Slipper S., G1 Champagne S., G1 Flight S., G1 AJC Oaks, G1 Blue Diamond S. and the G1 Orlando Wines Classic.
Handspun since producing Charka has left a yearling filly by Exceed And Excel and foaled a three-quarter brother to Charka last month by Bivouac.
Eagle Farm, Race 1, 1.13pm AEDT (12.13pm local), Portland Sky First Crop Yearlings @ Widden QTIS 2YO H., $40,000, 1350m
Mortal Halo, 2-year-old colt (Better Than Ready x Freezethemillions {Freeze})
The sharply bred colt Mortal Halo will be making his debut at Eagle Farm on Saturday for Eagle Farm trainer’s Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald. He has prepared for his debut with placings at the Deagon trials on October 29 and the Sunshine Coast trials on November 12.
Mortal Halo is the seventh foal from the Freeze mare Freezethemillions, who was a winner as a juvenile and placed in the Listed Lancaster S., Listed Hampden S. and ran fourth in the G2 Sires’ Produce S.
She has proven to be a very successful broodmare and has left five winners including Port Lockroy (Better Than Ready) who has been a three-time winner and most recently was successful in Perth, where he won the G1 Railway S.
Mortal Halo as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Her other progeny include Alpine Edge (Better Than Ready) who won the G3 BJ McLachlan S., and the Listed Phelan Ready S., and was placed in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, and the winners Deep Millions (Deep Field), Aeecee Beau (Rubick) and Aeecee Millions (Deep Field).
Many top-class stallions feature in this pedigree including Furnaces, Zeditave, Pariah, Jet Spur and the talented race mares Melito (Redoute’s Choice) and Shikoba (NZ) (Chief Bearhart {Can}).
Freezethemillions since producing Mortal Halo has left a filly by Supido in September this spring.
Mortal Halo was passed in short of his reserve at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Sportsbet-Wangaratta, Race 2, 2.19pm AEDT, Winsec Savings & Loans Mdn Plate, $20,000, 2000m
Usir (NZ), 3-year-old colt (American Pharoah {USA} x Away Cruising {Darci Brahma {NZ}})
The well-bred Usir (NZ) is set to make his third start on Saturday over 2000 metres for Pakenham trainer’s Ben, Will and JD Hayes at Wangaratta on Saturday. On debut at Mornington he ran a battling eighth on November 3 before he showed solid improvement to run fourth at Bairnsdale over 1600 metres when he was only narrowly beaten by Very Grateful (Magna Grecia {Ire}). Saturday marks his first attempt at a middle distance and he looks hard to beat in this event.
Usir is a son of Coolmore Stud’s former shuttling stallion American Pharoah (USA) and is out of the Darci Brahma (NZ) mare Away Crusing. She was a winner at 1400 metres and 1600 metres on the track.
Usir (NZ) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Usir’s grandam was the outstanding Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}), she was successful 14 times including at Group 1 level seven times. Other stakes winners within this very good pedigree are the outstanding colt Storm Boy (Justify {USA}), Keepa Cruisin (NZ) (Keeper), Espresso Martini (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}), Raziah (NZ) (Niagara), Drakaina (Ace High), Antrim Coast (Roc De Cambes {NZ}) and Seven Seas (NZ) (Roc De Cambes).
Away Cruising’s further progeny include a yearling colt by Ace High and she was due to foal again to Ace High in October this spring.
Usir sold for NZ$70,000 at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale with Lindsay Park Racing being the successful purchaser from the draft of The Oaks Stud.
Looking Back
Humid (Snitzel) was unfortunately scratched, she will keep for another day.
Secret Elegance (Snitzel) ran a solid race on debut when running second, she only went down narrowly and looks a handy type.
Nimbustwothousand (Lonhro) disappointed running seventh at Moonee Valley.
