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 Wednesday. A promising Ardrossan gelding chases maiden success at Sandown, also at Sandown a beautifully bred I Am Invincible 2-year-old filly looks hard to beat and a promising Tarzino (NZ) gelding resumes at Ipswich.
Sportsbet Sandown Lakeside, Race 2, 4.15pm AEDT, Evergreen Turf Maiden Plate, $55,000, 1400m
Climb The Ladder (NZ), 3-year-old gelding (Ardrossan x Escalera {NZ} {Hussonet {USA})
Climb The Ladder (NZ), a son of Waikato Stud’s promising stallion Ardrossan, will make his second start at Sandown over 1400 metres on Wednesday for trainer Chris Waller. This promising gelding is the fourth foal from the Hussonet (USA) mare Escalera (NZ), who was unraced.
Climb The Ladder (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Escalera has so far left O’Not A Doubt (Not A Single Doubt) who has been a three-time winner at 1200 metres and 1400 metres. Escalera is well-related being a half-sister to the talented Mr Mojo Risin’ (NZ) (Deep Field) who has been a four-time winner with his biggest win coming in the Listed Anzac Mile.
Other stakes-performers that feature throughout this pedigree are La Scala (NZ) (Bahhare {USA}), Society Bay (NZ) (Zephyr Bay), Final Destination (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), Final Form (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Kingsman (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}), Sandblaster (NZ) (Sandtrap {USA}) and Society Beau (NZ) (Bigstone {Ire}).
Climb The Ladder was withdrawn from the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale.
Sportsbet Sandown Lakeside, Race 3, 4.50pm AEDT, Sportsbet Jockey Watch Maiden 2YO Plate, $55,000, 1200m
Heavenly Conquest, 2-year-old filly (I Am Invincible x Taste Of Heaven {Encosta De Lago})
The beautifully-bred Heavenly Conquest (I Am Invincible) is set to make her second start at Sandown on Wednesday. On debut she ran a very sound fifth at Flemington on January 18 behind the very talented Cavalry Girl (Bivouac).
Heavenly Conquest 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.
Heavenly Conquest as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Heavenly Conquest'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 Heavenly Conquest, foaled an I Am Invincible filly in September and was subsequently served by 'Vinny's' son in Home Affairs.
Heavenly Conquest was passed in at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale short of her $500,000 reserve.
Ipswich, Race 3, 4.23pm AEDT (3.23pm local) Schweppes Mdn H., $40,000, 1350m
He’s A Saint (NZ), 3-year-old gelding (Tarzino {NZ} x Sainted {More Than Ready {USA}})
The Gold Coast based Tony and Maddysen Sears-trained He’s A Saint (NZ) will have his third start at Ipswich on Wednesday over 1350 metres. On debut he ran a great race for second at Toowoomba over 1300 metres on July 13 behind the talented Shadow Power (Dundeel {NZ}) who subsequently has won again since. Then at his second start he ran a very good second at Doomben on October 9 behind Pierata’s Dream (Pierata) where he hit the line very hard from well back in the field.
He's A Saint (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
This Tarzino (NZ) gelding is out of the More Than Ready (USA) mare Sainted, who was placed on the track. She has left four winners including Lammer (NZ) - Fortune Warrior (HK) (Swiss Ace), Salonius (NZ) (Swiss Ace), Keep Me Loyal (Exosphere) and recent Te Rapa maiden winner Detain (NZ) (Swiss Ace).
Sainted is a half-sister to the talented Zeditave filly Kakakakatie (Zeditave), she was successful in the Listed Wenona Girl Handicap and the Listed PJ Bell Handicap and has since had good success at stud leaving nine individual winners including the stakes-placed Sebrakate (Sebring) and Quattro Katie (Zoustar).
Other stakes-performers in the pedigree are Believe In Magic (NZ) (Not A Single Doubt), Moeraki (NZ) (El Roca), Ace Of Diamonds (NZ) (Swiss Ace) and Stroll (Snitzel).
Sainted since producing He’s A Saint has left a yearling filly also by Tarzino before passing away shortly after.
Looking Back
Humphree Bear (Calyx {GB}) - Was very good winning at Grafton, he had to work to get himself into a prominent position and he then gave a great kick at the 300 metres and held on strongly.
City United (Unite And Conquer) - won in dominant fashion as he led all of the way as a warm favourite at Horsham.
