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 3-year-olds are set to hit the track across Australia on Wednesday. A Fastnet Rock gelding makes his debut at Canterbury and a Lonhro gelding chases his maiden victory at the same venue. A Pierro filly out of the Group 1-winning mare Bonaria (Redoute's Choice) makes her debut at Geelong and looks hard to beat.
Randwick-Kensington, Race 1, 2.20pm AEDT, Drinkwise Mdn Plate, $60,000, 1000m
Bold Bidder, 3-year-old gelding (Fastnet Rock x Pretty Fast {Not A Single Doubt})
The well-related Bold Bidder is set to make his debut for in-form trainer Bjorn Baker at the Randwick-Kensington track on Wednesday on the back of some solid trial form which included a very impressive win at Warwick Farm on January 3 when defeating Spaceballs (Dundeel {NZ}) by 1.98l over 797 metres.
Bold Bidder is a son of Coolmore Stud’s outstanding and now pensioned sire Fastnet Rock and is the third foal from the talented Not A Single Doubt mare Pretty Fast. She was named appropriately as she went on to win four times with her best win being in the Listed Mode Plate.
Bold Bidder as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Pretty Fast is a half-sister to the talented dual Group winner and now stallion at Widden Stud in Doubtland and also a three-quarter sister to Villa Verde (Not A Single Doubt) who was successful in the G2 Challenge S., Listed Ottawa S. and the Listed Debutant S.
Pretty Fast since producing Bold Bidder has produced a yearling colt by Wootton Bassett (GB), a colt foal by Anamoe and was most recently served in the spring by Home Affairs who made such an impact with his first yearlings selling at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale last week.
Bold Bidder was a $525,000 purchase by Curran Bloodstock from the draft of Segenhoe Stud from the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Randwick-Kensington, Race 3, 3.30pm AEDT, TAB Mdn Plate, $60,000, 1400m
Cold Brew, 3-year-old gelding (Lonhro x Connemara {Fastnet Rock})
The promising Cold Brew, is set to make his third start over 1400 metres for Rosehill trainers Richard and Will Freedman at the Randwick-Kensington track on Wednesday. On debut he ran a very nice second at Newcastle behind the very well-bred Lough Eske (I Am Invincible) over 1200 metres on December 19 and then he backed up that run with a very good second at Canterbury behind Goodlucktome (Written Tycoon) on January 1. The step up to 1500 metres looks like it will suit him.
Cold Brew is by Lonhro and is the first foal out of the Fastnet Rock mare Connemara, who was a four-time winner on the track. She was classy enough to place in the G3 Birthday Card S., G3 Tibbie S. and the Listed Mona Lisa S.
Connemara is also well-related being a half-sister to Tawteen (Stratum) who has been a seven-time winner including at Listed level and Well Sprung (Star Witness) who was also successful at Listed level amongst his four wins.
Cold Brew as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Cold Brew has some outstanding international pedigree influences deeper in his pedigree, his grandam was a Group 3 winner in America and is by the very good sire Grand Slam (USA). Other notable stallions that feature are Gone West (USA), El Gran Senor (USA), Lord At War (Arg), Sadler’s Wells (USA), Daylami (Ire) and Shirley Heights (GB).
Since producing Cold Brew, Connemara has left a 2-year-old colt by Capitalist that has been exported to New Zealand, a yearling filly by Stay Inside who sold to Dalziel Racing/Moody Racing for $280,000 at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and most recently she foaled an Anamoe colt in October and was subsequently served by Stay Inside.
Yong An Australia was the purchaser of Cold Brew for $170,000 from the draft of Fernrigg Farm at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Ladbrokes Geelong, Race 5, 5.25pm AEDT, Oasis Turf 3YO Mdn Plate, $37,500, 1212m
Pula, 3-year-old filly (Pierro x Bonaria {Redoute’s Choice)
The Danny O’Brien-trained Pula will make her debut over 1212 metres at Geelong on Wednesday on the back of showing some solid form at the jump-outs. She has jumped out extensively and shown plenty and she looks well educated for her debut.
Pula is the fifth foal from the outstanding Redoute’s Choice mare Bonaria, she was an eight-time winner, and her wins included the G1 Myer Classic, the G3 Schweppervescence Trophy twice and the G3 Mannerism S. She has already been a solid broodmare leaving four winners including the five-time winner and the multiple Group-placed Miss Aria (Zoustar), Bonheur (I Am Invincible), Sardegna (Sebring) and Alkaamel (Sebring).
Pierro | Standing at Coolmore Australia
This family has so much depth to it including Bonaria’s most prolific half-sibling being the dual hemisphere Group 1 winner and stallion Merchant Navy, and the Group 2-winning and Group 1-placed mare Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock).
Other close relations are the G1 Thousand Guineas winner in Joliestar (Zoustar), Group 1-winning stallion Paulele, and the other stakes winners Legally Bay (Snippets), Tessera (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), Heresy (Street Boss {USA}), Setanta (Fastnet Rock), Hindaam (Fastnet Rock), Ebhaar (I Am Invincible) and Time Out (Snippetson).
Bonaria since producing Pula has left a yearling colt by Zoustar who was purchased at the 2025 Magic Millions Yearling Sale by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds/Kia Ora Stud for $800,000 from the draft of Widden Stud and most recently she was again served by Zoustar.
Looking Back
Love Charm (Fastnet Rock) and Zouman Along (Zousain) were both unfortunately scratched from their respective races at Kilmore, they will keep for another day.
