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 well-bred Snitzel filly takes her place at Wyong as does a promising Deep Field gelding. Then at Pakenham a Dundeel (NZ) filly out of a Group 1 winner chases maiden success.
Wyong, Race 4, 2.55pm AEDT, Garrick Super Maiden Plate, $60,000, 1350m
Take Achance On Me, 3-year-old filly (Snitzel x Tell Your Mama {USA} {Blame {USA}})
Take Achance On Me, a daughter of Arrowfield Stud’s Champion stallion Snitzel, will make her fourth start for Chris Waller at Wyong on Thursday. She has run honestly in all of her three starts that she has had in her career so far and they have all been in better quality fields than she strikes in this event. Taking that into account with the rise up to 1350 metres, she does look hard to beat in this maiden event.
Take Achance On Me as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Take Achance On Me comes from a strong international family, her grandam Taletobetold (USA) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) was an eight-time winner in America including at Listed level three times and further back in the page features Australian Group 1 winners and sires Russian Revolution and Home Affairs.
Since producing Take Achance On Me, Tell Your Mama (USA) has produced a Home Affairs yearling colt, a Snitzel (NZ) filly foal and was most recently served last spring by Snitzel again.
Take Achance On Me was a $650,000 purchase by Cambridge Stud from the draft of Lime Country Thoroughbreds at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Wyong, Race 5, 3.35pm AEDT, Levelmaster CG&E Maiden Handicap, $42,000, 1100m
California Command, 3-year-old gelding (Deep Field x Capital Commander {Commands})
Wyong’s Thursday meeting will serve as the venue for the second start of California Command, a promising son of Deep Field from the Peter Snowden stable at Randwick. On debut he ran a good third at Kembla Grange on January 29 when he battled away strongly from a prominent position behind the talented Bold Bidder (Fastnet Rock).
California Command as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
California Command is out of the talented mare Capital Commander (Commands) who was successful nine times from 1100 metres to 1600 metres. Further back in the family are the classy stakes-winning mares Twining (Twig Moss {Fr}), How Funny (Rory’s Jester) and Jester’s Girl (Commands).
Capital Commander’s further progeny since producing California Command includes a yearling colt by Capitalist, a foal colt by In The Congo and was subsequently served by Tassort.
California Command was a $250,000 purchase by Asian Bloodstock Services LtdFoote Bloodstock (FBAA) from the draft of Newgate Farm at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Sportsbet-Pakenham, Race 6, 8.15pm AEDT, Sportsbet Future Stars Series Heat 11 Maiden, $75,000, 1400m
Miss Alexis, 3-year-old filly (Dundeel {NZ} x Jameka {Myboycharlie {Ire}})
The Ciaron Maher-trained Miss Alexis (Dundeel {NZ}) will travel to Pakenham on Thursday to make her second start over 1400 metres. On debut on the same track on January 23 she ran a solid fourth behind Storm ahead (Trapeze Artist).
Dundeel (NZ) | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
Miss Alexis is the third foal from the outstanding staying Myboycharlie (Ire) mare Jameka (Myboycharlie {Ire}), she was a star on the track managing six wins and all of these were stakes wins including the G1 Caulfield Cup, G1 BMW Stakes, G1 VRC Oaks, G2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes, G2 Dilmah Vase Stakes and the G3 Naturalism Stakes. She has already had success at stud leaving the two-time metropolitan winner in Sir Bailey (Impending) who has also ran fourth in the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude and the Listed Valley Pearl Stakes and the promising dual winner Federer (Dundeel {NZ}).
Jameka since producing Miss Alexis, has produced a two-year old filly named Adira River (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) and she was most recently served by Anamoe last spring.
Looking Back
Rose Diamond (Fastnet Rock) - ran her usual honest race when running fourth, she will get a deserved maiden win soon.
Sensational Wind (I Am Invincible) - ran an okay race for fourth at Hawkesbury, she battled away well.
Busker (Trapeze Artist) - ran a good fifth at Ipswich, potentially he will appreciate more ground it was a nice run with a view to that.
