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 having their first or second start, a promising galloper returning to the track or a horse which has trialled particularly well, we’ll aim to give you something to follow.
On Tuesday, we head to Sale where a well-related Godolphin filly makes her debut, then to Kembla Grange where a Snitzel gelding bids for a long-awaited win and an in-form member of Zoustar's first crop looks to continue his good run.
Sale Race 1, 1:00pm AEST, Ladbrokes Back Yourself 2YO Mdn, $35,000, 1105m
This is the standout race of the day in terms of interesting pedigrees and Spirit Medium (Helmet) boasts plenty in that regard being out of Seances (Canny Lad), herself a black-type winner who has produced stakes-winners Sessions (Lonhro) and Renaissance (Lonhro) as well as recent Wagga Town Plate winner Ghostly (Lonhro).
It's a rich Woodlands family, with Seances a half to Champion filly Unworldly (Quest For Fame {GB}) as well as Group 2 winner Gordo (Brief Truce (USA}). Spirit Medium looks to have some of her family's talent having been competitive at a couple of recent barrier trials and it wouldn't surprise to see her win on debut.
Kembla Grange Race 1, 12:45pm AEST, Illawarra Turf Club Prov & Ctry Mdn, $35,000, 1200m
The connections of Cry Of Achilles (Snitzel) have had to show a good deal of patience with this gelding, who is still a maiden through six starts, but he looks to be building to a win. Being a $330,000 buy by Australia's Champion sire out of a Group 1 winning mare in Headway {Charge Forward), Darby Racing would have hoped he would have broken through by now.
But having been narrowly beaten at Newcastle last time out, this looks a good race for the 3-year-old to get a confidence building victory, joining his older half sister Progression (All Too Hard) as a winner from the mare.
Cry Of Achilles as a yearling.
Kembla Grange Race 7, 4:25pm AEST, Kembla Grange BM64 Hcp, $35,000, 1200m
Bjorn Baker's Doctor Zous (Zoustar) looks a progressive 3-year-old having won two of his three starts to date, including a five-length win in a BM58 at Goulburn last start, where he led all the way.
Doctor Zous as a yearling.
He was the top Zoustar at the 2017 Inglis Classic Sale with Justin Casse and Muskoka Nominees going to $160,000 for the first colt out of stakes-placed Cautious (Lonhro), who is a full-sister to the South African black-type winner Buckhinghampshire. They are out of Seeking Attention (Exceed And Excel), a stakes-placed half-sister to G3 winning sprinter Stryker (Fastnet Rock).
