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 runners are set to hit the track across Australia on Tuesday. A promising Exceed And Excel filly looks to break through at Yarra Valley and a mare by Good Magic (USA) with a classy international pedigree chases maiden success at Newcastle.
Bet365 Yarra Valley, Race 2, 2pm AEDT, Yarra Valley Toyota 3YO Fillies Mdn Plate, $27,000, 1209m
Homecoming, 3-year-old filly (Exceed And Excel x Ventura {Lonhro})
The well-related Homecoming is set to have her fourth start for Godolphin’s head trainer James Cummings on the back of showing some good promise in her career runs so far. On debut she ran a very good second placing at Newcastle on August 3 over 900 metres behind Sneaky Sofia (Merchant Navy) and then at her next start she ran an okay seventh at Hawkesbury on August 22. After a break she trialled twice in Sydney before running an eye-catching sixth at Moe on December 17 behind Mr Markle (Harry Angel {Ire}) when she made some solid ground late.
Homecoming is a daughter of Darley’s outstanding and now pensioned sire Exceed And Excel and is the fourth foal from the Lonhro mare Ventura. She was only placed on the track but has a very nice pedigree.
Ventura is a full-sister to the very talented Group 1 winner and stallion in Denman who was successful in the G1 Golden Rose, and a half-sister to Preserve (Canny Lad) who was the victor in the G1 Sires’ Produce S. and Rio Osa (Canny Lad) who was successful at Listed level in Melbourne and Sydney.
Exceed And Excel
The Exceed And Excel/Lonhro cross has had great success with a 75% winners to runners ratio and an impressive 14% stakes winners to runners ratio. A couple of notable performers on the track with this cross are the talented G3 winning juvenile in Barber and the three-time Group 3 winning mare Minhaaj.
Ventura since producing Homecoming has produced a yearling colt by Blue Point (Ire) and foaled a filly by Darley Stud’s exciting first-season-sire in Paulele in October.
Newcastle, Race 6, 4.15pm AEDT, Allied The Careful Movers Super Mdn Plate, $60,000, 1200m
Magical Elegance (Can), 4-year-old mare (Good Magic {USA} x Cumulonimble (USA) {Storm Atlantic {USA}})
Newcastle’s Tuesday meeting will serve as the venue for the second start of Magical Elegance (Can) after she ran so well on debut at Nowra when she was only narrowly beaten by a margin of 0.1l by Havasu Falls (Lonhro) over 1200 metres.
Magical Elegance has a fantastic pedigree, she is by the top class American Group 1 winning and producing son of Curlin (USA) in Good Magic (USA) and has a strong international pedigree with her page full of influential stallions including Smart Strike (Can), Hard Spun (USA), Miswaki (USA) and Gulch (USA).
Her dam Cumulonimble (USA) was a classy eight-time winner on the track which included twice winning the Listed Lincoln Heritage H.
Good Magic | Standing at Hill 'N' Dale Farm
As a broodmare she has flourished and has produced four winners in America and Canada including three of them at stakes level. These stakes-winners include the Listed winners One Bad Boy (Can) (Twirling Candy {USA}) and Blessed Truly (Can) (Souper Speedy {USA}) and the Group 3 winner Ms Bad Behavior (Can) (Blame {USA}).
Ms Bad Behavior was purchased as a broodmare prospect for US$600,000 (AU$969,000) from the 2019 Fasig Tipton Kentucky November Mixed Sale by Freyer Bloodstock. She was then exported to Australia and straight away got an incredible result when her first foal, a colt by Snitzel was purchased for $1.5 million by T Magnier from the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
This colt has gone on to make a name for himself, he is Switzerland (Snitzel) who had a career defining moment when he won the 2024 G1 Coolmore Stud S. in scintillating fashion. In addition to this he has also been successful in the G2 Todman S. as a juvenile and the G2 Roman Consul S.
With that pedigree behind her, no matter what Magical Elegance does on the track she will be a very valuable broodmare when she heads to the breeding barn. But going by her maiden run, she definitely looks like she can prove to be capable on the track.
Looking Back
Sunday 19/1/25
Time Lapse (I Am Invincible) ran an okay third at Mornington. He led up and battled away solidly enough in the straight.
Chicago King (Street Boss {USA}) no luck for this gelding, it was a forget run as he unfortunately lost his rider.
