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.
We will be focussing all our attention on Wyong on Thursday, where we have an array of high-quality debutants stepping out for the first time, including a $600,000 colt bought by James Harron and a Fastnet Rock colt owned by Teeley Assets. We also check out a Sebring colt who looks poised to break his maiden at his second start.
Wyong Race 1, 12:00pm AEST - Kooindah Waters - Race, Stay and Play Mdn, $35,000, 1000m
Peter and Paul Snowden debut Intercontinental (NZ) (Exceed and Excel) against the older horses here after a couple of reasonable trial performances in the lead-up. James Harron Bloodstock paid $600,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions for the colt, who was bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan among others.
He is out of the Group 1 placed mare Oasis Rose (Oasis Dream {Ire}), who has already produced the full brother Al Hasa (NZ), who was a stakes winner and placed in the Karaka Million 2YO. Further back it is the family of international Group 1 winner Doctor Dino (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}).
Intercontinental as a yearling
Wyong Race 3, 1:20pm AEST - Club Toukley RSL 3YO Mdn - $35,000, 1350m
Embracer (Sebring) was heavily supported on his debut at Warwick Farm last start, which came off the back of a couple of trial wins. He was beaten into second but should take substantial improvement into what looks an easier assignment second-up.
He boasts a star-studded pedigree being a half-brother to Group 1 winner Star Witness (Starcraft {NZ}) and the G3 winner Nostradamus (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) out of stakes-winning mare Leonie Chiara (Lion Hunter). He was a $280,000 buy for his trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and races for a syndicate of prominent owners including his breeder B2B Bloodstock.
Embracer as a yearling
Wyong Race 4, 2pm AEST, Toukley Golf Club 2YO Maiden , $35,000, 1100m.
There are a host of interesting 2-year-olds here, but Hey Mighty (Fastnet Rock) creates interest partly for the fact that he carries the Teeley Assets colours, which we don’t see that often on a racetrack these days.
This colt, also trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, was a $500,000 buy from the 2018 Magic Millions Sale and is out of Group 1 winning mare Pear Tart (Dehere {USA}), making him a full-brother to the stakes-placed filly Italia Bella. He improved greatly at his most recent trial to win and drawn the inside barrier, he can make a substantial impact on his debut.
Hey Mighty as a yearling
