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 2-year-old runners are set to hit the track across Australia on Saturday. A Zoustar colt related to Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai} aims to stay unbeaten at Eagle Farm, a highly rated Wootton Bassett (GB) colt makes his debut at Rosehill and a promising Bivouac filly chases maiden success at Flemington.
Eagle Farm, Race 1, 1.13pm AEDT (12.13pm local), Racecourse Village QTIS Two-Year-Old H., $85,000, 1200m
Space Rider, 2-year-old colt (Zoustar x Fuddle Dee Duddle {Red Ransom {USA}})
Eagle Farm's Saturday meeting will be the venue for the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained Space Rider to have his second start. He won nicely on debut at the same track and distance on December 28 when he led all of the way to defeat Grafterburners (Graff) impressively by 3.2l.
He accepted to run in the R. Listed Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic but unfortunately was unable to gain entry into the field and was made the first emergency and was unfortunately eliminated. He does look hard to beat in this event and then can hopefully move on to bigger races in Sydney.
Space Rider is by Widden Stud’s outstanding sire in Zoustar and is the eighth foal out of the Red Ransom (USA) mare Fuddle Dee Duddle who was very talented on the track winning four times from 1100 metres to 1600 metres including in the G3 Champion Fillies S. in Perth.
She has gone on to become a successful broodmare leaving five individual winners including Brereton (Zoustar) who cost $1,000,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and on the track he has so far saluted the judge three times with the best of these wins being in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate.
Space Rider as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Other family members include the outstanding Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) she has been successful 11-times in her career so far including in the G1 The Everest. G1 Manikato S., G1 Doomben Ten Thousand S., G1 Tattersall’s Tiara, G2 Sapphire S., G3 How Now S., G3 Quezette S. and the Listed Carlyon S.
Another star galloper within this family is the the talented mare Hallowell Belle (Starcraft {NZ}) who was successful in the G2 Gilgai S. and the Listed Darby Munro S. and managed placings in the G1 Flight S., G1 TJ Smith S., G1 Patinack Classic and the G1 Thousand Guineas amongst other stakes-races.
Since leaving Space Rider, Fuddle Dee Duddle has left a yearling colt by Zoustar that recently sold at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $675,000 to China Horse Club/Newgate Bloodstock and Partners, foaled a Zoustar filly last September before visiting Widden Stud’s outstanding Zoustar again.
Space Rider was purchased for $500,000 by Mick Price Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd/TFI/Dermot Farrington Bloodstock from the draft of Longwood Thoroughbred Farm at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Rosehill Gardens, Race 1, 12.30pm AEDT, Chandon 2YO H., $160,000, 1100m
Wodeton, 2-year-old colt (Wootton Bassett (GB) x Fiera Vista {Exceed And Excel})
The well-bred Wodeton is set to make his debut over 1100 metres for trainer Chris Waller at Rosehill on Saturday. He has looked smart at the trials running a lovely second behind his paternal half-sibling West Of Swindon (Wootton Bassett {GB}) over 792 metres at Warwick Farm on October 29 and then he ran an eye-catching second behind Namaste (NZ) (Savabeel) at Warwick Farm on January 3 over 799 metres. Both of these horses that he has trialled behind have run placings in good quality races on debut which helps back up his trial form.
Wodeton as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Wodeton is a son of Coolmore Stud’s shuttling stallion Wootton Bassett (GB) and he is part of his first Australian crop, he is out of the Exceed And Excel mare Fiera Vista. She was a talented filly and won twice including the Listed Morphettville Guineas. She has already left the handy filly Queen Starlight (Zoustar) who has been a winner at 1200 metres and metropolitan placed in Melbourne.
Fiera Vista is very well related being a half-sister to the dual Group winning filly Empress Rock (Fastnet Rock) and her dam, Empress Jade (Encosta De Lago) is a half-sister to the 18-time winning Hong Kong Champion in Silent Witness (El Moxie {USA}), the three-time Group winner and multiple Group 1 placed mare in Sister Madly (Redoute’s Choice) and the stakes-placed Very Fit (Woodman {USA}).
Fiera Vista since producing Wodeton has produced a yearling colt by I Am Invincible and after missing to Dundeel (NZ) was exported to Great Britain in August last year.
Wodeton was an expensive $1,600,000 purchase by Tom Magnier from the draft of Segenhoe Stud at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Flemington, Race 2, 12.45pm AEDT, VRC Punters Club Sprint, $150,000, 1000m
Cavalry Girl, 2-year-old filly (Bivouac x Islands {I Am Invincible})
The Tom Dabernig-trained Cavalry Girl will have her second start over 1000 metres at Flemington on Saturday on the back of a very good second at Geelong on debut behind Cherish Me (Brazen Beau) where she fought on well after showing an abundance of early pace.
This well-related filly is from the first crop of Bivouac and is the first foal from the I Am Invincible mare Islands, who was a two-time winner on the track at 1200 metres.
Islands is a half-sister to the General Nediym mare Military Rose, she was a very quick filly the track winning six times including five of them as a juvenile. Her wins included the G2 Riesling S., G3 Gold Coast Guineas, the R. Listed Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic, Listed BJ McLachlan S. and the Listed Calaway Gal S.
Cavalry Girl as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
As a broodmare Military Rose has left five-winners including Tullio (More Than Ready {USA}), Grenado (NZ) (Pierro), My Adeline (All Too Hard), Medaglia Valore (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) and In Times Of War (Street Cry {Ire}) who has since produced the quality Zoustar colt in Espionage. He cost the James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership $1,000,000 from the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and has since won the G3 Kindergarten S., and the G3 Breeders’ Plate.
Since producing Cavalry Girl, Islands has left a yearling filly by The Autumn Sun, a filly foal by Russian Revolution and was most recently served in the spring by Coolmore Stud’s Golden Slipper hero Shinzo.
Cavalry Girl was a $110,000 purchase by Prime Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd from the draft of Vinery Stud at the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Looking Back
Gatekeeper (Justify {USA}) - won nicely at Canterbury, after he had a good run throughout he was blocked early in the straight, but when he got clear running in the straight he attacked the line well to get the job done on debut.
Sensational Wind (I Am Invincible) - was unfortunately scratched, she will keep for another day.
Rose Diamond (Fastnet Rock) - Unfortunately scratched from her race at Pakenham, she is actually accepted in Race 1 at Cranbourne on Saturday night. So keep an eye out for her there.
