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 Thursday. A Spirit Of Boom filly chases maiden success at Rockhampton, Tamworth is the venue for a Dundeel (NZ) gelding to make his debut and a So You Think (NZ) gelding resumes at Pakenham.
Rockhampton, Race 2, 11am AEDT (10am local), TAB QTIS Three-Year-Old Mdn Plate, $23,000, 1300m
Ange, 3-year-old filly (Spirit Of Boom x Fendalton {Toorak Toff})
The sharply-bred Ange is set to make her second start over 1300 metres for trainer Jessica Kuhn at Rockhampton on Thursday. She ran a solid fourth on debut at Rockhampton on December 31 over 1200 metres where she battled away solidly behind Catmiss (Calyx {GB}). It did look the run of an improver and it will be no surprise to see her feature in this maiden event.
Ange is a daughter of Spirit Of Boom and is out of the Toorak Toff mare Fendalton. She only raced twice on the track but comes from a solid family.
Ange as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Fendalton is half-sister to the very talented filly Cheeky Choice (Redoute’s Choice), she was a four-time winner and her biggest wins were in the G1 Flight S. and the G2 Tea Rose S. She has gone on to leave three winners, that are all by More Than Ready (USA), these include Blatant, Bit Of Cheek and Roguish.
Other successful stakes-winners within this page are Blondeau (I Am Invincible), Jackofall (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and the Group 1 winning Gypsy Goddess (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}).
Fendalton since producing Ange was exported to New Zealand and has left a 2-year-old colt by Strasbourg named Nullabor (NZ), a yearling colt by Tarzino (NZ) and was due to foal to Tarzino again last spring.
Ange was a $5,000 value purchase by Anthony Bennett from the 2024 Inglis Digital November (Late) Sale.
Tamworth, Race 5, 3.35pm AEDT, Happy Birthday Shay Brennan Showcase Super Mdn Plate, $50,000, 1200m
Brilliant Knight, 3-year-old gelding (Dundeel {NZ} x Jemison {Commands})
The Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich-trained Brilliant Knight will make his debut over 1200 metres at Tamworth on Thursday. He looked handy at the trials at Newcastle on December 30 when defeating Great Brazen (Brazen Beau) in stylish fashion by 0.15l.
This well-related gelding is by Dundeel (NZ) and is the ninth live-foal from the Commands mare Jemison, who was metropolitan placed in Sydney on the track. She has thrived as a broodmare leaving five winners including the outstanding Hong Kong galloper Contentment (Hussonet {USA}), he was a 10-time winner in Hong Kong and was successful in the G1 Champions Mile, G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup, Listed Sha Tin Trophy and the Listed Celebration Cup.
Brilliant Knight as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Her other winners include Godzilla (Shalaa {Ire}) who has also been stakes-placed, Cheerful Legend (Shalaa {Ire}) who has been a five-time winner and managed a fourth placing in the G2 Sires’ Produce S. and the Charge Forward duo Alabama Charge and Complacency.
Further back in the family features the very good juvenile and New Zealand stallion in Align, who was successful four times as a 2-year-old and was successful in the G1 Sires’ Produce S., G2 Slipper Trial S. and the Listed Gosford Slipper.
Jemison since producing Brilliant Knight has produced a yearling colt by Castelvecchio, and last spring foaled a Hitotsu filly before subsequently visiting that same stallion again.
Brilliant Knight was a $150,000 purchase by S Shek from the draft of Arrowfield Stud at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Sportsbet-Pakenham, Race 2, 6.15pm AEDT, Precision Mechanical Services 4YO+ Mdn Plate, $40,000, 1400m
Stairway, 4-year-old gelding (So You Think {NZ} x Babel {Lonhro})
The Ballarat based-trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy saddle up Stairway (So You Think {NZ}) to make his second start over 1400 metres at Pakenham on Thursday. On debut he ran a solid fifth as favourite on the Ballarat Synthetic track on May 24 behind Pride Of Proisir (NZ) (Proisir), he was straight away put out for a break and has looked like he has come back well going by his recent trials and jumpouts and should be ready to go for this resuming run.
This promising gelding is the fifth foal from the Lonhro mare Babel, who was a five-time on the track and classy enough to place in the Listed Belle Of the Turf S. She has made a promising start to her broodmare career leaving three winners including Translator (Helmet), Shinar (Bernardini {USA}), and Statesmanship (So You Think).
Stairway as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Some other group-performers that feature in the pedigree are Any Day Will Do (Any Given Saturday {USA}), Centainette (NZ) (Centaine), Seascay (NZ), Littorio (Bellotto {USA}), and Camino Rocoso (NZ) (Shocking).
Babel since producing Stairway has produced a 3-year-old gelding by Dundeel (NZ) named Gunner who was placed at Yarra Valley at his last start, a yearling colt by Tiger Of Malay and was served by Hanseatic last spring.
Stairway was a $200,000 purchase by McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) from the draft of Rothwell Park Thoroughbreds at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Looking Back
In Haste (Snitzel) - won in dominant fashion at Matamata by 4.3l, she definitely looks up to stakes-level races on the back of that lovely win.
Busker (Trapeze Artist) - was disappointing at Doomben, he raced very green and dropped out in the straight to run eighth.
Sensational Wind (I Am Invincible) - ran a nice race for fifth on the Randwick-Kensington track, although it may not look that great on paper it was a lovely run from back in the field, and being out of a Group 1 Oaks winner more ground is going to suit this lovely filly. She is one to follow as she stretches out in distance.
