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 New Zealand and Australia in Group races on Saturday. An outstanding Snitzel colt looks to keep his unbeaten record alive at Ellerslie, an expensive Zoustar runs at Rosehill and a Super Seth colt makes his debut at Sandown.
Ellerslie, Race 3, 11.01am AEDT (1.01pm local), Listed Counties Challenge S., $110,000, 1100m
Return To Conquer, 2-year-old colt (Snitzel x Vaujany {Lonhro})
The well-bred Snitzel colt Return To Conquer is set to make his first start in Group company over 1200 metres in the G3 Colin Jillings Classic for Te Akau trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson at Ellerslie on Saturday.
On debut he made quite the impact when bolting in at Listed grade at Pukekohe on November 23 by 2.5l over Sierra Leone (Sun City), Sierra Leone has been competitive in good races subsequently so the form does look strong.
Return To Conquer as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Return To Conquer is the second foal out of the Lonhro mare Vaujany. She was unraced but is very well bred which enabled her to be a $550,000 purchase by Blue Gum Farm from the draft of Godolphin at the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Her pedigree is littered with plenty of Group performers and stallions in her pedigree including Snippetson, Snowland, Freeze, Magic Carpet (Lonhro), Larkspur Run (Shamardal {USA}), Renosu (Exceed And Excel), Ghisoni (Lonhro), Portillo (Red Ransom {USA}) and Francaletta (High Chaparral {Ire}).
The Snitzel/Lonhro cross has had proven success with an okay 58 per cent winners to runners ratio, but an outstanding 21 per cent stakes winners to runners ratio. The talented Group 3 winning colt and now Widden Stud Victoria stallion Bruckner is one example of a classy galloper that is bred on this cross.
Unfortunately Ready To Conquer was Vaujany’s last foal as she sadly passed away in February last year.
Rosehill Gardens, Race 3, 1.40pm AEDT, Group 3 Arrowfield Canonbury Stakes, $250,000, 1100m
Fermoy, 2-year-old colt (Zoustar x Fundamentalist {Not A Single Doubt})
The well-bred Fermoy is set to make his second start over 1100 metres for trainer Chris Waller in the G3 Arrowfield Canonbury Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
On debut he ran a lovely race for third at the same venue on November 30 over 1100 metres behind The Playwright (Written By) and Icarian Dream (Blue Point {Ire}), that form looks fantastic as they have both went on to become stakes-performers subsequently. He has since had a break and a lovely trial at Rosehill Gardens when running third on January 23 in preparation for this event.
Fermoy as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Fermoy is a son of Widden Stud’s star stallion Zoustar and is out of the Not A Single Doubt mare Fundamentalist. She was a two-time winner as a juvenile at 1200 metres including in the G3 Dequetteville S.
She also substantially added to her record by placing in the G1 Randwick Guineas, G1 Surround Stakes, G1 Thousand Guineas, G2 Fillies Classic, G3 Sires’ Produce Stakes, G3 Breeders’ Stakes, G1 Empire Rose Stakes, G1 JJ Atkins Stakes, G3 Vanity Stakes, and the Listed Regal Roller Stakes.
Fundamentalist, since producing Fermoy, has left a yearling colt by Home Affairs and was most recently served by Zoustar last spring.
Fermoy was a $1.9 million purchase at the sales by T Magnier at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the draft of Segenhoe Stud Australia Pty Ltd.
Sportsbet Sandown Lakeside, Race 5, 2.30pm AEDT, Group 3 Lamaro’s Hotel Chairman’s Stakes, $200,000, 1000m
Forceofone (NZ), 2-year-old colt (Super Seth x Heartfelt (NZ) {O’Reilly {NZ}})
The well-related Forceofone (NZ) is set to make his debut in the Group 3 Lamaro’s Hotel Chairman’s Stakes on Saturday over 1000 metres for trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes at Sandown on Saturday. He has prepared for his debut with a couple of nice jump outs at Flemington and Werribee.
Forceofone is a son of Waikato Stud’s exciting Super Seth and is out of the O’Reilly (NZ) mare Heartfelt (NZ) who was unraced on the track.
She has already proven to be a reliable broodmare having left four winners including the four-time winner Sincere (NZ) (Savabeel), another four-time in Ocean Heart (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), Hivari (NZ) (Tivaci) and Genuinely (NZ) (Tivaci).
Forceofone (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Forceofone’s grandam Metropolitan (NZ) (Elusive City {USA}) was a talented racemare and was successful three times including in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes. She went onto become a very good broodmare leaving six individual winners including Residential (NZ) (Pins) who was successful nine times including in the G3 South Island Breeders Stakes, Listed Dunedin Guineas, Otago Breeders’ Stakes and the Listed Southland Guineas.
Heartfelt since producing Forceofone has left a yearling colt by Ardrossan and then missed to The Chosen One (NZ).
Forceofone sold for NZ$155,000 at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale with Lindsay Park Racing being the successful purchaser from the draft of Waikato Stud Ltd.
Looking Back
We will have to wait another day for Jasmina (Blue Point {Ire}) as she was scratched from her assignment at Moonee Valley.
Namaste (NZ) (Savabeel) almost took the money at Canterbury, finishing for a tidy second 0.5l behind Karinska.
All Eyes On Her (Zoustar) shows plenty of promise after a fourth on her debut at Canterbury.
