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 New Zealand and Australia on Wednesday. A Tivaci filly that is a half-sister to a Group 1 winner chases maiden success at Waverley, a very well-bred I Am Invincible gelding runs at Ipswich and a Fastnet Rock gelding looks very hard to beat at Kembla Grange.
Waverley, Race 3, 1,55pm AEDT (3.55pm local), Brent Hantz Irrigation Maiden, NZ$25,000, 1400m
Shacktime (NZ), 3-year-old filly (Tivaci x Magic Time (NZ) {Volksraad {GB}})
The well-related Shacktime (NZ) (Tivaci) is set to make her second start for New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock at Waverley on Wednesday.
Shacktime was a bit unlucky on debut at Otaki when running fifth, she was a bit slow away and then didn’t get clear running in the straight. She would have improved off that effort and in the hands of Harry Grace should be competitive in this event.
Tivaci | Standing at Waikato Stud
This promising filly is the ninth and last live-foal from the Volksraad (GB) mare Magic Time (NZ), who was unraced on the track but has then went on to become a very successful broodmare leaving four individual winners.
The best of these have clearly been the outstanding Kawi (NZ) (Savabeel) he was a 15-time winner from 1200 metres up to 2000 metres. Included amongst these wins was seven Group 1 victories including in the G1 Zabeel Classic, G1 Makfi Challenge Stakes (twice), G1 Windsor Park Plate, G1 Thorndon Mile, G1 Captain Cook Stakes and the G1 Otaki Maori WFA Stakes.
Magic Time’s other winners include No Magic Needed (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}), On Debut (NZ) (Postponed {USA}) and Shezamagic (NZ) (Danroad).
Kembla Grange, Race 1, 2.20pm AEDT, Team Thoroughbred NSW Training Academy Super Mdn Handicap, $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 second start for in-form trainer Bjorn Baker at Kembla Grange on Wednesday on the back of a solid debut on the Randwick-Kensington track on January 15 when he ran a nice fourth after racing a bit green and only weakening late in the race.
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 Stakes, Listed Ottawa Stakes, and the Listed Debutant Stakes. Villa Verde's daughter My Gladiola (I Am Invincible) was very impressive when winning the G3 Blue Diamond Preview (f) on debut last weekend for Mornington trainer John McArdle.
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 when selling at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale earlier this year.
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.
Ipswich, Race 2, 3.48pm AEDT (2.48pm local), Schweppes QTIS Three-Year-Old Mdn Plate, NZ$40,000, 1666m
Murmurs, 3-year-old gelding (I Am Invincible x Taste Of Heaven {Encosta De Lago})
The beautifully-bred Murmurs (I Am Invincible) is set to make his third start over 1666 metres for Chris Waller at Ipswich on Wednesday. Although he has been unplaced in his two career starts he has run okay, both times he has hit the line well late and he looks like he will enjoy the step up in trip.
Murmurs is out of the Encosta De Lago mare Taste Of Heaven. She was a winner at 1300 metres on the track but has left a mark as a broodmare leaving winners all over the world including Japan, America and Australia. The best of her progeny has been Heavenly Curlin (USA) (Curlin {USA}) who was a three-time winner including in the G3 Woodbine Maple Leaf Stakes.
Murmurs as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Murmur’s second dam is the great mare Shantha’s Choice (Canny Lad) she will forever have a lasting influence on the breed in Australasia as she left the Champion Sire Redoute’s Choice, the Group 1 winners and sires Manhattan Rain and Platinum Scissors, the Listed winner and sire Echoes Of Heaven and the talented stakes-winner and stakes-producer in Sliding Cube (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}).
This family has so much depth to it and other Group-winners include the three-time Group 1 winner Shoals (Fastnet Rock), Rubick, Precious Lorraine (Encosta De Lago), Summer Monsoon (Stratum), Isthmus (I Am Invincible), Kingofwallstreet (Dundeel {NZ}), Summer Sham (Not A Single Doubt) and Schwarz (Zoustar).
Taste Of Heaven since producing Murmurs has left a 2-year-old filly named Heavenly Conquest (I Am Invincible) who ran a solid fifth on debut at Flemington this month, she foaled an I Am Invincible filly in September and was subsequently served by Home Affairs in the spring.
The purchaser of Murmurs for $600,000 from the draft of Yarraman Park Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale was Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA)/Chris Waller Racing Pty Ltd/G1 Goldmine.
Looking Back
Fumage (Trapeze Artist) - ran a great second behind the well-bred Fontaine Rouge (Justify {USA}), she improved nicely off her debut effort and may even be a black-type quality staying filly in the autumn off that.
Wind Blast (Vadamos {Fr}) - was disappointing running ninth on debut at Geelong.
