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 3-year-olds are set to hit the track across New Zealand and Australia on Sunday. A Contributer (Ire) gelding deserves to taste maiden success at Ellerslie and a Trapeze Artist gelding makes his debut at the Sunshine Coast after looking pretty good at the trials.
Ellerslie, Race 5, 1.45pm AEDT (3.45pm local), Horizon By Skycity Mdn, $30,000, 1400m
Penman (NZ), 3-year-old gelding (Contributer {Ire} x Update {NZ} {O’Reilly {NZ}})
The well-related Penman (NZ) is set to make his third start over 1400 metres for Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh at Ellerslie on Sunday. He has run second at both of his career starts at Rotorua and looks a handy type that will keep on improving, if he can get some luck from the wide gate, he should be hard to beat.
Penman is a son of Mapperley Stud’s ill-fated stallion Contributer (Ire) and is out of the O’Reilly (NZ) mare Update (NZ). She was only placed on the track but holds a very strong and deep pedigree page.
Update is a full sister to Irlanda (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) who was a very talented mare, she was a six-time winner in New Zealand from 1200 metres to 1600 metres and she was the heroine in the G2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ S., G3 Eulogy S., and the Listed Lion Red Plate.
Penman (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
As mentioned earlier Update has a very deep page, other outstanding stakes performers that feature are the dual Group 1-winning sire Mo’unga (NZ) as well as Super Photon (NZ) (Super Seth), Phelan The Power (NZ) (Power {GB}), Milford Sound (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), Chandelier (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel), Not An Option (Not A Single Dount) and Chenille (NZ) (Pentire {GB}).
Penman sold for NZ$60,000 at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale with Toru Bloodstock being the successful purchaser from the draft of Mapperley Stud Ltd. He was re-offered at the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale but failed to make his NZ$80,000 reserve.
Sunshine Coast, Race 2, 1.59pm AEDT (12.59pm local), Maeva Hospitality QTIS 3YO Mdn H., $30,000, 1200m
Busker, 3-year-old gelding (Trapeze Artist x Street Made {Can} {Street Boss {USA}})
Busker, a son of Widden Stud stallion Trapeze Artist, will make his debut at the Sunshine Coast for trainer Robert Heathcote. He has looked talented at the trials having won two of them nicely at Doomben late last year.
This promising gelding is the second foal from the Street Boss (USA) mare Street Made (Can), who was a two-time winner and placed twice at Listed level in Canada. She has made a good start to her stud career with her first foal Rickythesteamboat (Rubick) already being a winner over 1350 metres.
Busker as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Busker has some strong stallion pedigree influences that are both international and colonial, stallions that are prominent are Danehill (USA), Domesday, Bletchingly, Street Cry (Ire), In Reality (USA), Mr. Prospector (USA) and Snippets.
Since producing Busker, Street Made has left a 2-year-old gelding by Exceedance named Street Legal, a yearling filly by Wild Ruler who heads to the 2025 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale as Lot 690 from the draft of Glenlogan Park and was served last spring by In The Congo.
Busker was passed in at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale when falling short of his $70,000 reserve.
Looking Back
Carsolio (Bivouac) shared the lead early and only battled late to run fifth. It was an honest effort after working a bit early.
Namaste (NZ) (Savabeel) ran a solid race on debut, he fought well and looked like he will improve with the experience.
Unfortunately the Kembla Grange races were abandoned, we will keep Cold Brew (Lonhro) for another day.
